Dark Star
by Lari
Summary: When Leia Darkstar, the Emperor's hand, is sent on a mission to capture two elusive droids on a back water planet called Tatooine, things don't exactly go according to plan.....COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

A/N: Obviously this is an AU.  The main part, though not the prologue, will take place during the ANH time period.  Basic idea is – what if Leia had been taken as the Emperor's hand?

I've been posting this on TF.N boards and it's almost finished.  Please let me know what you think!

**Dark Star**

**Prologue**

Darth Vader knew when he was being mocked.  And he didn't like it.

No one else would have dared such an affront against the Dark Lord, but as it was he could only remain silent.  And watch.  As he was mocked.

The clockwork sound of his breath didn't alter, but he could feel the machinery within his lungs working beyond their normal capacity, trying to compensate for his growing rage.  In another lifetime, he would have tried to calm himself, but now he fed the rage and channeled it to his ever-growing dark power.

The girl's lithe figure moved gracefully as she parried and lunged against her artificial opponents.  He wondered if she knew she was being tested and how she would react when she discovered she had been deceived.  

He quickly allowed the thought to wither.  Thoughts for others bordered on concern, and concern only distanced him from his power.

He was being mocked, he reminded himself, and suffused himself with the darkness of that thought alone.

"What do you think, Lord Vader?"

Vader turned towards his tormentor and gazed down at the pale, wizened man.  His master would not live forever, he knew, but the time had not yet come to end his miserable life and take his own place as the ultimate leader of the Empire.  And now this girl—this _child_, he thought derisively—was being flouted before him as his replacement.

His master would not live to take on another apprentice, he vowed to himself.  Either the old man would die or the girl.

Vader almost convulsed at the sudden influx of power this thought brought him, but managed to remain as outwardly impassive as ever.

"Well, my apprentice, surely you must have an opinion," the old man pressed him.

"She is well-trained," Vader heard himself say, acknowledging the truth of the words even as he said them.

"Yes...yes...well-trained."  The old man put a bony finger under his chin and leaned against the armrest of his throne.

They watched together in silence as the girl leapt through a window to escape, allowing herself to freefall for a few moments before casually discharging a rappelling wire from her belt.  She grabbed the wire as it was about to go taut and propelled herself back up a few feet, before slowly lowering herself back down—almost completely negating the shock of the break in her fall.

The probe droid continued to keep up with her as she rappelled down three stories.  Surely, she must sense it, Vader thought, before managing to catch himself again.

She was meant to be his replacement, he reminded himself.  She was being shown to him only to mock him.  

When she reached her desired floor, she unfastened another tool from her belt and set about cutting the latch—and the security beam—on the window.  As she quickly slithered into the room, the image abruptly shifted and they found themselves viewing her from within the room.  She dropped silently to the floor and, looking up, began to regain her bearings.

This time Vader nearly did gasp, in spite of his breathing apparatus.

He was not being mocked, he realized suddenly; he was being tested.

There could be no other explanation.  The similarity was too striking, too uncanny, to be a coincidence.  And with his master, he had learned, there were rarely coincidences.

He found himself staring at the girl's intent face as she moved along the corridors.  Where had the old man found her?  She looked so much like...like _her_.  

He was being tested.  It had to be.  His master wanted to know how he would react to_...her_ after all these years.  After all these years, he was still being tested.  After all these years, she was still a challenge.

He forced himself to tear his eyes away from the utterly familiar face for a few moments, to focus on something...anything...else.  And, now that the rage had subsided, he found he _could_ focus on something...something he had missed.  A realization suddenly dawned on him.

"She is using the light side," he declared.

His master chuckled and shook his head from side to side.  "You have not been concentrating, Lord Vader."

Vader allowed himself the luxury of resentment at the old man's condescending tone.  But acknowledged his words and probed further into the girl's power.

The old man was right; it was not the light side.  Nor, however, was it the dark side, at least not in the way he had always defined it.

"She balances between the two," he finally said, in awe.  "Neither fully dark, nor fully light."

This time his master's smile was genuine.  "Yes!  She is my newest creation, Lord Vader."

"Who is she?" Vader couldn't help but ask.

His master turned toward him, as if appraising him anew, and was silent for a long time.

"Her name is Leia Darkstar," he answered finally, "I call her the Emperor's Hand."****


	2. The Lars Homestead

A/N: Okay, here's where the "real" story starts ;-)

**Part I: Tatooine**

**Chapter One – The Lars Homestead**

Leia Darkstar pumped the brake softly with her toe—slowing the speederbike enough for her to give the mountain a last inspection—before thumbing the terrain-mode switch all the way to the right.  She didn't wait to hear the hum of the repulsor lifts change tone—trusting that the tall, leathery creature she had rented the vehicle from had only cheated her on the price, not the condition—but kicked back hard with her left heel and leaned forward against the inertial push as the bike accelerated swiftly.

She could have gone around the mountain, she knew; she probably _should_ have gone around it.  But it would take longer to go around and, somehow, she felt—_knew_—that time was of the essence.  Leia didn't bother delving into that sense much, knowing it might come from her master and not herself.  At the same time, she was honest enough to acknowledge that part of her wanted very much to test out the bike over rocky terrain.  It was a hidden part of her, one she would never share with anyone—not that she shared much of _anything_ with anyone—and one she thought she had long outgrown.  But when she grinned at the sensation of her stomach dropping as the bike skipped over a particularly large outcropping, it became clear she had not.

Leia shook her head at herself, but didn't even attempt to dampen her enjoyment of the exercise.  It was not hurting the mission—in fact, she would be able to accomplish the mission that much more quickly this way—so she felt it was a harmless distraction.  But it bothered her that she still had so little power over her own juvenile desires.

Her master, she was quite sure, was not bothered by such urgings.  He was in complete control of everything and everyone he touched; nothing controlled him.

She paused at that thought and wondered if it was completely true.  Was he in complete control of her?  

The bumpy ride quickly lost its appeal as she considered this.  She had always wondered how much of her goings and comings, her internal struggles and emotions, her master was actually aware of.  Surely, when they were in contact he could read her easily; but when they were in contact, she generally thought of very little other than her overwhelming desire to lose herself in the darkness and depth of his power.  Even the memory of it made her tremble and on an impulse she reached out along the invisible line, which tethered her to him at all times, and briefly caressed his dark presence.  She felt something touch her back and for a moment she thought he might initiate contact, but it was only a reassuring touch, and then it was gone.

She allowed the moment to pass and put her full attention back to her mission.  She had reached the down side of the mountain and realized it was far more difficult to traverse than the way up had been.  Though she always kept herself in perfect physical condition, she found her legs tightening slightly from working the accelerator and brake, as she alternated her speed almost constantly.  

The bike was in very good condition however and Leia was glad she had chosen the alien's shop instead of the human-owned shop a few blocks away.  She simply hadn't trusted the human and, though he had tried to convince her to rent a more luxurious and far more expensive bike instead, she sensed that the alien was being upfront with her, at least about the bike's abilities.  In fact, when she'd mentioned that she needed something rugged enough to take both sand dunes and rocky terrain, he had shaken his head resignedly and stopped pushing the luxury bike on her.  

It was not a decision her master would have made.  

Regardless of which owner was more trustworthy, he would have chosen the human.  He would never willingly deal with another species, especially not if he had another choice.  Leia had never quite understood why this was so, but her master's disgust for aliens was more than evident in his dealings...even in the way the Empire itself was run.  She wondered if it was a failing in her that she didn't share his view in this area, but she quickly dismissed the idea, remembering that Lord Vader didn't share this view either.  Vader treated all species the same: either he ignored them, manipulated them, or disposed of them.  It didn't matter whether they were human or not.

That led her to wonder whether this prejudice was a failing in her master, but she banished the thought before it got a chance to fully form.  The idea of a failing in her master was not something Leia was capable of considering, not now anyway.

She pushed softly on the accelerator, allowing the bike to fall a few feet to a position directly above the desert floor.  She glanced back at the mountain and smiled in spite of herself that she had managed to traverse it without relying on the Force...without relying on the power of her master.  But the smile froze as she turned back toward the desert.  For the first time she noticed a thin line of dark smoke rising in the distance.

She nearly cursed herself for being so wrapped up in her thoughts that she had failed to notice it until now, but quelled the futile reaction.  

It was possible that the fire (for that's what it must have been) was not connected to her mission or to the squadron of stormtroopers that had been set loose on the planet by Vader, under the direction of that pompous governor, Tarkin.  But Leia doubted it.  She could only hope that the trigger-happy troopers hadn't destroyed the droids along with whichever unlucky desert-dwellers had happened upon them.  Her master had made it very clear that the droids were integral to his plan.  Of what that plan was, she had very little idea, but she was sure Tarkin knew even less of it than she did, so he would have no compunction about dealing with the missing plans by simply destroying the droid that carried them.

She sighed and heeled into the accelerator again, hoping she wasn't already too late.

*              *              *

The farmer's habitat—at least, she _assumed_ it had been a farmer's habitat—had been utterly destroyed.  Though the farmland was untouched, the living area was gone, it's charred remains still hot to the touch.  As much as Leia wanted to blame Tarkin, she acknowledged Vader's handiwork immediately; it was his way of sending a warning to any of those cooperating with the rebels.  She understood the need for this and at any other time she would have applauded it; right now, however, she could only assume that the droids she had been sent to fetch had been reduced to sizzling lumps of metal.

But no matter how she_ felt_, she had to work under the unlikely assumption that the droids had somehow managed to escape their guardian's fate.  And that would only take more time.  She shrugged her shoulders; time was something she probably had more than enough of right now.

After doing a visual sweep of the area with her high-powered binocs, Leia took out a scanner, setting it with the approximate size, shape and material make-up of an astromech droid and a protocol droid.  Keeping her eyes on the read-out, she began walking in widening concentric circles.  When she reached the two long mounds in the sand, she paused only a moment before stepping around them.  She had gone a few more steps, still intent on her scanner, before stopping and turning back in shock.

Graves.

She hadn't immediately recognized them for what they were simply because she had so rarely seen that form of...disposal of remains.  Most of the galaxy, she knew, disposed of their dead through cremation.  In fact, on many planets the funeral pyres could be meters high, depending on the position of the deceased.  Burial was rare and the few times she'd encountered it had been on lush, green planets, where the introduction of a dead body into the soil would only cause more life to flourish; she supposed this was somewhat of a comfort to the survivors.  But to see burial on a desert planet was highly surprising and Leia would never have expected it.

Leia's senses were immediately on the alert, but, even with her own rudimentary force skills, she could sense that there was no one alive in the vicinity.  She glanced back at the graves.  There _had_ been someone here, though.  Recently.  Graves did not dig themselves and she didn't even entertain the thought that the stormtroopers had buried their victims.

It explained the burial, as well.  The person wouldn't have had the time to erect a pyre and had instead hastily covered the bodies in the sand and escaped.  She didn't bother looking for footprints, the wind would have swept them away.  Instead she closed her eyes and reached out for her master.  There was a response immediately and she trembled slightly at the sudden influx of dark power.  It washed over her and she simply reveled in it for a moment, before attempting to sense the person's presence.  

At first, there was nothing, then a brilliant white light seemed to explode in the darkness of her mind.  Where the darkness was hot and overwhelming in its power, the light was cool and...nurturing?  Her eyes flew open in shock and, still feeling the dichotomy of the darkness and light within her, she focused herself on the light.  She looked around and all over the desert floor she caught sight of a faint glowing, as though someone had left footprints in the force.  

He must have lived here, she thought, knowing somehow that the person _was_ a "he".  He must have lived here and come home, only to find his home and family destroyed.  Without realizing it, she began walking, walking toward some point in the sand that, for some reason, glowed more fiercely than all the others.  But the light was different, instead of pure white, it was tainted slightly with darkness at the edges.  As soon as she stepped into it, she understood why.

There had been an outpouring of the force concentrated at that spot and she was overwhelmed by its strength.  She gave in almost immediately and opened herself up to it.  She could feel what the boy had felt: the horror, realized, the helplessness, the emptiness, the anger and the hate, the hopelessness and the guilt and then, finally, an acceptance and a resolution.

The barrage of emotions stopped suddenly and Leia found herself on her knees and gasping for breath, with drops of moisture rolling down her cheeks.  Another person might have been too overwhelmed to concentrate on their mission, but Leia's training was too complete for that.  She stood up and, without bothering to wipe away the tears (they would evaporate soon enough), raced toward her speederbike.  She knew where to go and knew she had to get there quickly.  

Mos Eisley.****


	3. Mos Eisley

**Part I: Tatooine**

**Chapter Two – Mos Eisley**

Han Solo leaned back on the bench and sent a smile over to the attractive waitress who had just served him his drink, she grinned back and turned toward her next customer with a swing of her hips. He looked, for all the world, like a self-confident, freewheeling pilot with nary a care or concern.

It was amazing how deceiving looks could be, he thought.

The fact was that he was scared. Getting off Tatooine was a primary concern right now, but he needed—more than anything—a solid, good-paying run to pay off Jabba's debt. Since none of the big names would trust him till he got back into Jabba's good graces (why trust a pilot who might not survive the night?), he had been forced to lay low and look for other "opportunities". Mos Eisley was one of those places where opportunities seemed to present themselves all the time, and the fact that Jabba was close by didn't change that. 

He took a sip of his drink, barely noticing the bitter aftertaste, and glanced over to where Chewie was talking quietly (well, quietly for a Wookie) with an old man. The man looked like one of the native farmers, with his long robe and wind-swept hair, and Han couldn't imagine that he was all that wealthy. Then again, he thought with a grin, looks _could_ be deceiving.   
  


The conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of an argument at the bar and Han glanced over, while discreetly moving further into the shadows of his booth. An innocent looking native farmboy had somehow managed to pick a fight with two of the most unsavory characters in the place and the argument was quickly become violent. Han fingered his blaster, thinking he might let a "stray" bolt off in the direction of the attackers; it was just a kid, after all. 

Suddenly there was a blur of motion and Han could barely see the old man Chewie had been speaking with launch himself into the fray, a long, bright lasersword in his hands. Before anyone could even gasp, the fight was over. The boy and the old man stood unscathed and one of the attackers lay howling, his arm a bloody stump at his side. The boy looked just as shocked as anyone else, but the old man simply powered off his sword and, taking him by the arm, led the boy back toward Chewie. 

  
Han could tell from Chewie's posture that the old man had earned his respect and, as the three came towards his table, he had to admit his own admiration as well. 

  
"You're pretty handy with that saber, old man," he said with a nod. 

  
The man shrugged almost imperceptibly in response and Han was immediately struck by the realization that it wasn't false modesty. For all his confidence, the old man simply didn't think much of himself. 

  
"I'm Han Solo, captain of the _Millenium Falcon_." Han switched straight into business mode, offering his hand to the man, and then, as an afterthought, to the boy as well. "Chewie tells me your looking for passage to Alderaan." 

  
The old man nodded. "If it's on a fast ship." With that he seemed to lock eyes with Han, as though he would be able to tell just by looking whether or not the pilot was telling the truth. 

  
Han felt slightly uncomfortable under the gaze and suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to impress the old man.   
  


"Fast ship? You mean you've never heard of the _Millenium Falcon_?"   
  


Han internally grimaced at the amused expression on the old man's face. "Should I have?"   
  


Immediately, Han's defenses went up. "It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs! I've outrun Imperial starships and Corellian cruisers; I think she's fast enough for you, old man."   
  


The man seemed to back down a bit and smiled indulgently. He was clearly willing to take the pilot at his word. But Han still felt about ten years old.   
  


"What's your cargo?" he asked.   
  


The old man shrugged. "Only passengers. Myself, the boy, two droids, and..." The man paused and his eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment. He turned his head slightly as though he had just heard something that he hadn't been expecting. Han wondered if he had some sort of listening device in his ear. Finally, the man continued, "And one other passenger—no questions asked."   
  


The last didn't exactly surprise Han, though the boy seemed surprised by the additional passenger. Han could tell he was trying to get the old man's attention; the man laid a hand on his shoulder and the boy reluctantly turned back to the conversation.   
  


"Local trouble?" Han asked, noticing the still somewhat distant expression on the old man's face.   
  


"Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements," the man replied.   
  


Imperial? Han was almost relieved to find out that the old man was of enough importance to be significant to the Empire at all. It was no wonder that he intimidated Han. Maybe he had been a spy, or even a political figure from the old Republic. Han dismissed that idea; the man was a warrior, there was no doubt about it.   
  


A Jedi.   
  


Han could almost hear the whispered word from his youth. His friends trying to dare him into walking into an old, unused building at the edge of town, telling him that a _Jedi_ had been killed there.   
  


No, the man wasn't a Jedi. The Jedi, if they had ever existed, were long gone now, everyone knew that.   
  


Han shrugged off the thought. Regardless, he was certainly going to make the most of the situation that had presented itself.   
  


"No Imperial entanglements? That's going to cost you a little extra." He sat back trying to think of a price high enough to be bargained down to within a reasonable amount. And more than enough to pay his debt. "Ten thousand, in advance," he decided, finally.   
  


The old man didn't blink an eye, but the boy reacted like a seasoned bargainer.   
  


"Ten thousand! We could buy our own ship for that!"   
  


Han was more comfortable with the boy's reaction, somehow, than with the man's.   
  


"Yeah? And who would you get to pilot it, you?" he countered.   
  


The boy bristled and stood up, clearly used to the haggling that went along with any transaction on the planet, but taking it a bit too personally, if Han was a judge. "You bet I could! You know, I'm not such a bad pilot myself. I don't..."   
  


The old man put his hand back on the boy's shoulder and he immediately quieted, though it was clear to Han that he didn't much like it.   
  


"We don't have that much with us now," the man said softly, "but we could pay you two thousand now...plus another fifteen thousand when we reach Alderaan."   
  


Han's throat went dry. The old man must really be desperate; Han had never imagined he could make this much on a simple passenger run.   
  


"Seventeen thousand?" he breathed. "Where are you going to get your hands on that kind of money?"   
  


"From the government of Alderaan itself," he insisted.   
  


The man said more, but Han wasn't listening. He was right. The man must have been something in the old Republic. Everyone knew that Alderaan was a hotbed for rebel activism, but the government? Han shook his head; the man must really have been something.   
  


"Alright, I'll chance it. You've got yourselves a ship." At of the corner of his eye he noticed a blur of white and knew he was about to lose his newfound fortune if they didn't act quickly. "As for avoiding Imperial entanglements, you'd better get out of here or even the _Millenium Falcon_ won't be any help to you." He leaned forward and whispered, "Docking bay ninety-four."   
  


By the time the four Imperial troopers reached his table, Han and Chewie were alone again.

*              *              *****

Leia sat rooted to her seat for a few moments, even after the old man and the boy had left. There was something about the conversation that had bothered her. She just couldn't put her finger on what it was.   
  


She glanced over at the stormtroopers still making their way through the cantina and sipped at her drink. It had been easy enough to find the boy once she'd reached Mos Eisley, simply by focusing her master's power in on him again. And it was clear from the list of passengers that the droids were still around. But, unfortunately, by the time she'd reached the cantina, there were stormtroopers crawling all over the place and the droids were nowhere to be found.   
  


She shrugged her shoulder; it hardly mattered, because now she _knew_ where to find them.   
But it didn't explain what made her so uncomfortable about the conversation she'd just heard. The destination of Alderaan was certainly no surprise to her, it was the logical place to take the plans, nor was the amount they were willing to promise the pilot. The destruction of the new battle station would be a real blow to the Empire, moreso than anything the Rebels had managed to achieve so for, and the secret to its destruction (if there was one) would be in those plans somewhere. Even the inclusion of an extra passenger shouldn't have bothered her; there were surely Rebel contacts in the area other than an old man and a farmboy.   
  


But there was something. Something in the way the old man had tilted his head in her direction, something in the way he had said those words, _"Myself, the boy, two droids and...and one other passenger—no questions asked."_ Almost as though he knew she was there, almost as though he knew she would follow them.   
  


She shook her head; it just didn't make any sense, it just wasn't possible. How could he have known that, unless ... She quickly downed the last of her drink and dropped a few credits on the table. The pilot seemed to have been detained by a trigger happy Rodian who wasn't terribly bright, from the looks of it. The pilot had managed to sneak one hand under the table. Now would be a good time to get on that freighter without anyone seeing her.   
  


She didn't miss a step when the blaster fire erupted behind her. She ducked out of the cantina and headed straight for docking bay ninety-four.

*              *              *

It was impossible to read emotions through the bounty hunter's facemask, but Leia felt sure she had surprised him.   
  


"Waiting for Solo?" she asked softly, staying in the dark shadows of the ship's underbelly. "Or maybe the Rodian?"   
  


Boba Fett gazed at her for a moment and then turned away without a comment.

Leia sighed and leaned against one of the sensor's protruding from the ship to wait. She hadn't really expected Fett to answer—he rarely spoke—but she preferred making herself known to him, to having him discover her and reveal her to the Hutt. As it stood now, he wasn't likely to turn her in. They had reached somewhat of an understanding the few times they'd encountered one another over the years. As long as it didn't interfere with their ability to perform their "jobs", they let each other alone—generally, not helping each other, but not hindering each other either.   
  


She had learned over the years that it was far better to have allies than enemies in the underworld—or anywhere else for that matter—and had done her best not to bring the wrath of anyone down on herself; you never knew when it could come in handy.   
  


Her "understanding" with Fett had come early on, during one of her first assassinations. She'd never tried to find out what it was the woman had done to deserve the Emperor's personal vengeance, but it didn't really make a difference. Leia discovered quickly that the woman's lover had a price on his head and that Fett had been trying to prevent her from finding them while he went for the capture. Thanks to her Imperial contacts, Leia had quite a bit more information on the two than Fett and a temporary alliance had been made. Fett collected a large reward for returning the man, alive and intact, to a crime lord in the Serellian sector, and Leia had...disposed of the woman as quickly and quietly as possible.   
  


Their "understanding" had been profitable for each of them on different occasions, so Leia knew that Fett would not be quick to throw it away. Especially, not since she had proven herself by sneaking up on him unawares. If she had been stupid enough to get caught, it may have been different.   
  


Besides, Fett had a thing for her. He'd propositioned her once—at least she had been fairly sure that's what he was doing—and, though part of her found the idea of actually seeing his face perversely tempting, she'd simply pretended to misread his advances. The first time she voluntarily allowed a man get _that_ far with her—if ever—it would, at the very least, _not_ be in a seedy port hostel. And that had been that.   
  


Right now, though, Fett was studiously ignoring her, while allowing her to stay hidden from the circle of bodyguards the Hutt had brought with him. She had meant to slip onto the ship before the pilot returned, but now it seemed as though her plans would be slightly altered. She wondered briefly if it would be a better idea to try capturing the droids on planet rather than waiting for a more opportune time. Finding the boy again would be easy and the droids were surely with him. Of course she would probably have to kill the old man _and_ the boy, before getting her hands on the droids.   
  


She bit her lip for a moment. It was probably the most efficient idea and, yet, something seemed wrong about it. It couldn't be the killing, she'd done that dozens of times before, two more lives on her hands wouldn't make much difference...   
  


The memory of standing in that pool of light in the desert suddenly surfaced, unbidden. She couldn't..._shouldn't_ kill the boy, she decided. Someone who _shone_ in the Force? Her master should know about him. Yes, and she shouldn't kill him without her master's command. Besides, they would surely lead her straight to the rebel leaders and what better gift to her master would there be than to return with, not only the droids, but that information as well?   
  


Leia felt the tension that had been building up within her relax a bit. She could concentrate on her mission much more efficiently now that she was sure of the proper course of action.   
  


She was about to attempt breaking into the ship in spite of the presence of the Hutt and its men, when she saw Solo, leaning casually against the wall on the opposite side of the docking bay. She cursed herself for not detecting him up until now, but quickly took advantage of the distraction he caused by announcing himself. Barely listening to the conversation that followed between the Hutt and the man, she moved silently towards the aft of the ship, away from the boarding ramp.   
  


There was more than one way to get on a ship.

**End Part One**

A/N: Padme – I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out!

Cali – Thanks for the review, hope you continue to enjoy!


	4. Discovery

**Part II: The _Millenium Falcon_**

Chapter One - Discovery 

  
Han Solo leaned back shakily in his seat and let the tension drain out of him. He turned toward the old man and the boy, and felt a self-satisfied grin spread across his face. "What'd I tell you?" he asked.   
  
"That was close," the boy bit back.   
  
"I just got you past two _Star Destroyers_, kid! But maybe if I'd asked real nice, they'd have _let_ us past, huh?"   
  
"Your deflector shields nearly..." the boy began as he struggled out of his restraints.   
  
"Your ship is certainly what you promised, Captain Solo," the old man interrupted, somehow managing to keep his tone firm and gentle at the same time, "it is more than worth the price."   
  
Han turned away so that they wouldn't be able to see how pleased he was by the compliment. "Yeah, well at least _someone_ appreciates what I just got us out of."   
  
Pulling off his flight gloves, Han stood up and squeezed past the two. "Now, if you don't mind I'm going to check on the deflector shield—just in case you have more friends waiting when we drop out of hyperspace."   
  
He could hear the two moving out of the cockpit behind him, the old man saying something about starting the boy's 'training.' Han grinned; this would be interesting to see.   
  
He stopped suddenly, remembering something, and waited for them to catch up. "I'm sorry that we couldn't wait for your friend, old man. I hope they made it out alright."   
  
"Oh, no doubt," the old man answered, and something about the way he said it made Han uncomfortable.   
  
"Ben, who _was_ the other passenger supposed to be?" the boy tried to ask nonchalantly, though it was quite obvious that he was brimming with curiosity.   
  
The old man, _Ben_, smiled. "I suppose it's time you found out." He turned to Han, "Captain Solo, is there a level below this one on the ship?"   
  
Han frowned; what was the old man getting at? "Well, there's more storage holds, but..."   
  
"No, I meant immediately below us."   
  
Han froze. "No, there's nothing," he said, a bit too quickly.   
  
The old man smiled again and raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"   
  
"Well, I mean, just...hey! What are you doing?"   
  
The old man had crouched down in the middle of the hallway and was moving his hand a few centimeters above the floor, as though it were some sort of scanner.   
  
"Ben?" The boy seemed nearly as worried as Han felt.   
  
The man's hand stopped suddenly and he closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. Han knew the man was crouched right over one of the hidden storage compartments in the floor; nothing was in there now, but Han didn't much like the idea of someone knowing they were there at all. Still, even assuming the old man _did_ know, why would he care? There was no way he could have stored something in there without the magnetic key, and even then the key was programmed to work only with Han or Chewie's thumbprint. Han felt for the key on his belt, anyway, and was slightly relieved to find it still there; he didn't like the idea of someone poking around his ship.   
  
Then one of the panels began to rise.   
  
"What...how are you doing that?" he exclaimed in amazement, mixed with panic, as he pulled his blaster awkwardly from its holster.   
  
The old man didn't answer, but continued to move the panel away. Han glanced over at the boy, who looked just as dumbfounded as Han felt, then back to the slowly rising panel. What could possibly be down there? And how had it gotten there?   
  
Han didn't bother waiting till the panel was completely off before looking apprehensively down, straight into the point of a blaster.

* * *

For a moment, no one said anything. Not the old man, who was looking faintly amused; not the boy or Han, who were both looking shocked; and certainly not the woman—a girl really—who stared back at Han with emotionless brown eyes.   
  
Finally, Han couldn't stand it anymore. "Who the hell are you?!" he demanded.   
  
The girl said nothing, but for a moment Han thought he could see fear in her eyes. Then it was gone.   
  
"Captain Solo," the old man said, as calmly as ever, "I'd like you to meet our final passenger who, as you can see, is in perfect condition."   
  
"Wow, great," Solo answered, sarcastically. "Now would you tell her to put the blaster down?!"   
  
The girl's eyes flashed defiantly and she tightened her grip on the weapon.   
  
"Yes, well, she'll do that in just a moment, won't she, Chewbacca?"   
  
Han hadn't noticed Chewie coming down the hallway, but the Wookie stood opposite them now, his bowcaster pointed at the girl's back.   
  
Without turning, as though she could sense the Wookie, the girl slowly put her blaster on the deck and raised her hands.   
  
"Come, none of that," the old man tutted, even as he took the girl's blaster and handed it to the boy. "We first have to get you out of there, don't we? Can you do it on your own?"   
  
The girl put her hands on the deck and jumped lightly out of the compartment, not bothering to answer. For the first time they could see her clearly.   
  
The first thing Han noticed was how short she was; she didn't even reach his shoulder. Her hair matched her eyes, but it had been tucked into itself in a braid at the back of her neck, so it was impossible to tell how long it was. Her face still showed the somewhat rounded features of childhood, but the rest of her seemed to be amazingly fit, he noted with admiration. She wore a loosely fitted flight suit in dark gray. The front of the jacket was mostly unfastened, revealing a black tank top underneath. Han let his eyes linger over the more _well-endowed_ parts of her anatomy for a moment, then scanned her for _unnatural_ bulges. Even at a glance, he knew there must be more weapons hidden away in her numerous pockets and utility belt. Young, but certainly not innocent, he decided.   
  
"Now, then, I believe some introductions are in order."   
  
Han didn't put his blaster down, but began to relax a little. The old man seemed to know the girl, maybe she was just being cautious, or maybe...   
  
Han glanced over at the old man; why wasn't he beginning the "introductions"? The man seemed to be waiting for the girl to begin and she, in turn, was eyeing them all suspiciously.   
  
Han exchanged a confused look with the boy, who didn't seemed to be any more clued in than he was.   
  
Finally, the man seemed to take the hint. "I am Ben," he began. "You've already met Chewbacca. This here is Captain Solo. And this," he pulled the boy closer to the girl, "this is Luke. Now why don't you tell us what you are called."   
  
"Wait a minute," Han interrupted, "are you saying, you've never met her before?"   
  
"Nothing of the sort, although I doubt she would remember our last encounter."   
  
For once the girl registered a clear emotion: shock. Han would bet money that she in fact _did not_ remember the "encounter". At the same time her eyes narrowed, maybe trying to recall the old man.   
  
"I'm Arica," the girl finally answered, "Arica Lafeila."   
  
The tension seemed to seep out of the room, the threat gone—at least for the moment, Han reminded himself warily. He reholstered his blaster and, looking right at her, asked, "Alright, _Arica_, I want to know one thing," the girl looked back at him defensively, "just how did you get on my ship?"   
  
The girl's face suddenly transformed and she looked for all the world like a mischievous little girl. But instead of answering, she just grinned. 

* * *

A/N: Teekoness – Thanks for reading!  Good suggestion.  I'll say right off the bat that the ANH part of this is going to be the same basic story arc as ANH, but it _won't_ be exactly like the movie in other ways.  In terms of how they get from A to Z it won't be the same, and in terms of the actual dialogue while they're doing it, it won't be the same.  I think that there are only 3 scenes in the whole story that are basically the same dialogue as the movie (like the cantina scene in the last chapter), but I've tried to tell them from a different POV than we're used to seeing them.  This is Leia's story so the main part of it will be Leia's characterization, the action is only important in terms of how it affects her.

Renee – Sorry about the ch.s, don't know what happened.  As for the rest: more on L/L in the next ch., but questions about what Obi-wan knows won't be answered for a while.  (So keep reading J)

Gabrileia – Hm, it's hard to write an AU when you don't know the characters.  I hope I'm keeping them "in character," let me know if you think I messed up on anything.

Prince Luke – Um, not sure what you mean about the ending—it's not quite finished yet, but glad you're enjoying!

Cali – sorry, this one's kind of short—I'll put another one up tomorrow or Friday

Thanks for the reviews everyone—hope you enjoy the next part!  (It's my personal favorite J)


	5. Fun and Games ... and Lightsabers

**Part II: The _Millenium Falcon_**

**Chapter 2 – Fun and Games ... and Lightsabers**

_I need to contact my master,_ Leia thought, as she leaned back in her seat trying to look composed. Sitting not a meter away from her were the droids she had been sent to fetch, and—for the moment, at least—she was powerless to do just that. She wiped a sweaty hand across her pant leg, wondering why it was so important to her to let her master know what had happened.   
  
Granted, she hadn't _remotely_ anticipated being discovered so easily, but she was experienced enough to recognize that, in spite of the discovery, her situation hadn't fundamentally changed. She was still on the ship, still traveling to the inner circle of the Rebel Alliance on Alderaan, still in shooting distance of the droids. She had been caught and yet she wasn't being treated like a prisoner. If anything, they seemed to view her as part of the group. Albeit—considering Solo's body-language—a suspicious part of the group.   
  
There was nothing urgent to tell her master and, besides, she could hardly contact him in front of everyone; they would notice it if she suddenly went into a trance, or—depending on the level of contact—fainted. Leia wrinkled her nose; something _had_ changed, something important. But she couldn't figure out how or why.   
  
She closed her eyes, mentally retracing her steps. Had one of them seen her getting on the ship? The pilot had been the only one in the vicinity and it was clear from his initial reaction that he'd had no idea she was there. The only one who had seemed unsurprised was the old man. And he...   
  
He was a Jedi.   
  
The realization hit her suddenly and, opening her eyes, she knew it was true. How else could he have known that she was coming or where she was hidden? She had come in contact with a Jedi once before... That was one way of putting it... She had _killed_ a Jedi once before. He had been a tiny, old creature with a long, thin topnotch of white hair that continually fell over a pale, misshapen face, but incredibly powerful. She had eventually resorted to drawing on her master's power to kill him. The intensity of the exchange was enough to render her unconscious, but when she woke up hours later, completely drained, the Jedi was only a charred body on the floor.   
  
She glanced over at the old man who was speaking softly with _him_: the boy she had sensed in the desert. Luke. Casually, she rose and walked over to where the droids were playing a board game against the Wookiee. Pretending to watch the game she listened in on the conversation going on behind her. The old man was patiently explaining to Luke about the force and how he would be able to utilize it in time. She felt a slight pressure in her chest and almost sighed out loud.   
  
She wished she had the power this boy had. Her experiments in using her own, relatively meager, force-strength had had mediocre results, at best. It was clear from the conversation that the boy had only just learned of the force and already...   
  
A low growl interrupted her thoughts. She looked up at the Wookiee and saw him regarding her with a tilted head. He growled again. She could only look at him blankly.   
  
"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Chewbacca," the protocol droid commented softly, then lowered his voice further, "she doesn't seem very friendly."   
  
Leia raised an eyebrow. "What'd he say?"   
  
The droid turned toward her and managed to look discomfited.   
  
"What'd he say?" she asked again, more forcefully this time.   
  
"Chewbacca suggested that you join our game," the droid blurted out, his voice slightly higher than usual.   
  
Leia stared at the Wookiee in shock. In spite of the Jedi's apparent confidence in her, she hadn't been expecting friendly overtures.   
  
The Wookiee growled again and motioned to a crate nearby. Leia shrugged and pulled the crate over; if they _wanted_ to play dejarik with an Imperial assassin...   
  
"Isn't it a two person game?"   
  
The Wookiee barked a reply, which the droid quickly translated. "There is a paired version we could switch to: yourself and Chewbacca versus Artoo and I."   
  
"Doesn't seem very fair, does it?" she commented.   
  
"Artoo and I are not specially programmed for the game, so I don't see how..."   
  
"I meant that it wouldn't be fair for you," Leia interrupted with a grin.   
  
Chewbacca made a rough snorting sound and clapped Leia on the shoulder.   
  
"Well, I can't imagine that..." the droid began in an offended tone.   
  
"Don't suppose you can," Leia cut him short again. "Now how do you switch the setting on this thing?"   
  
Leia allowed herself to settle into the game. The teams were actually pretty well matched in spite of her comment. She and Chewbacca were at about the same skill level and the ineptitude of the protocol droid was balanced out by the astromech. She had never played the game—or any game for that matter—for pleasure and the only reason she knew how to play was because one of her targets had had a bodyguard who loved the game. Every few moves Chewbacca would growl compliments at her and after a while she began to give him encouragement as well. A peaceful feeling settled over her and she found herself enjoying the challenge.   
  
In between turns she would give her attention to the informal class going on behind her. The old man was trying to explain the nature of the force to Luke and she found herself intrigued by it. Her master hadn't spent much time explaining the mechanics of the power she wielded; he had trained her to connect to his own power and become a conduit through which it could flow. To accomplish even that, she knew, required a sensitivity and strength in the force most could never dream of. But she had always wanted more. She wanted to be suffused with her own power like Lord Vader and her master—and like Luke, though she understood that his power was altogether different.   
  
With a gentle nudge and a bark, Chewbacca brought her attention back to the game. After a quick survey of the current positions on the board she punched in her move and watched as the holo-creatures rearranged themselves. She shrugged; it hadn't hurt them, but it hadn't helped much either.   
  
"Sorry."   
  
Chewbacca growled a quick response and patted her on the shoulder. The droid translated, but she didn't bother listening—she had gotten the point.   
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pilot saunter in and swing himself into a seat by the console. He made some announcement about being out of tracking range and then huffed about the lack of response. Everyone continued to ignore him: Luke and the old man were engrossed in their lesson, while she and Chewbacca leaned closely over the game table trying to figure out the astromech's strategy. Leia almost laughed when the little droid's piece moved quickly in a pattern she hadn't anticipated and killed their best attacker. For all practical intents and purposes, the game was over. Chewbacca seemed to come to the same conclusion and roared in protest.   
  
"He executed a fair move," the protocol droid rebuked, "screaming about it won't help you."   
  
Chewbacca pounded a powerful foot onto the deck and Leia found herself wondering how far he'd take this. She hadn't had much contact with Wookiees, but she'd heard of their wild tempers.   
  
"Let him have it," the pilot's drawl cut in, "It's not wise to upset a Wookiee."   
  
The droid began to protest, but Leia leaned over to Chewbacca hesitantly and laid a hand on his arm. "It's okay, right, Chewbacca? When we're through with this game we'll ditch the droids and play one-on-one."   
  
Chewbacca growled again but less forcefully this time. After a moment's consideration he seemed to acquiesce and they continued playing.   
  
From behind her Leia heard the drawling voice again. "That was pretty brave, lady. I've seen Wookiees remove limbs for less than that."   
  
Leia glanced back. The pilot was smirking, but looked genuinely impressed. She turned to regard the Wookiee. "You wouldn't hurt me, would you, Chewbacca?" she asked, softly.   
  
He growled a response which the droid translated: "He says that you are perfectly safe with him...as long as you keep your blaster pointed away from Captain Solo."   
  
Leia chuckled, but somehow, she believed him. 

* * *

Leia carefully scanned the board, knowing the vulnerable position she had left her defender in and hoping Chewbacca wouldn't notice. He had just punched in his move when Leia heard the familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber, and the game was quickly forgotten. Everyone in the room paused to watch Luke parry and lunge—awkwardly at first, but then with increasing ease—under the instruction of the old man.   
  
Leia tried to imagine Luke as she'd first sensed him on Tatooine, clothed in light, moving with the force that surrounded him. Nothing changed. She gritted her teeth and concentrated her will on the elusive image, but without her master's power, her vision remained lifeless and dim.   
  
"Don't force your moves, Luke." Leia looked up and found the old man's eyes on her, before he quickly turned away. "Give in to the energy that flows around you; let _it_ dictate your movements."   
  
"You want him to be a slave to his own power?" Leia blurted out, before the thought had fully formed. She mentally cursed herself for her intrusion. So much for being trusted...   
  
But the old man only smiled at her, almost as though he had been expecting her to join in. "Not a slave, Arica, a student."   
  
Leia knew she should be quiet, knew she should withdraw, but something about the old man drew her in. "A student or a slave—is there really a difference? Both are told what to do and expected to do it." She needed to stop talking, her master would never approve. "Let _him_ take control," she heard herself say, "let _him_ be the master over his power. Let him be free."   
  
"Is that what you are, Arica?" the old man asked, gently. "Are you free?"   
  
_Yes!_ Leia wanted to yell, but something stopped her and she leaned back sullenly into her chair. She was free, she reminded herself. She served her master of her own accord, only to gain access to his power. She was free.   
  
The silence in the room had become increasingly heavy, until it was almost unbearable, when the old man spoke again. "Why don't you demonstrate for Luke, Arica? I'm sure he could learn from watching you."   
  
Leia froze. How much did the old man know? Should she deny it? Should she...   
  
"I don't have a saber."   
  
The old man lifted an eyebrow.   
  
Damn! How much _did_ he know? Leia sighed and rose to her feet; there was no point in denying it. Besides, the idea of getting some real instruction in her own force-strength was extremely appealing. The more she could do without relying on her master, the better.   
  
A light touch on the left side of her belt released her saber from its casing in the side of her boot. It shot upward to her hand and she caught it easily, igniting the violet blade as she moved into attack position.   
  
A sharp intake of breath from the pilot was followed by: "Great. Now there are three of them!"   
  
She ignored him and glanced at Luke, whose mouth was hanging open in amazement. She grinned; she was glad to have impressed him.   
  
"You have good control, Arica," the old man commented and she watched something—jealousy?—flash through Luke's eyes. "Now, let's see your reflexes."   
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of metal in the man's hand and suddenly a small sphere hovered before her. She wasn't quite sure what it was going to do, but wasn't surprised when three laser bolts shot out from three angles in quick succession. She blocked two with her saber and dodged the last. The sphere moved back to the man's hand and she powered down her saber.   
  
"You see, Luke. It is not impossible."   
  
Luke lowered his eyes, but not before Leia caught the envious look again. Fortunately, the old man also noticed. "With proper training you will be able to do as much, Luke," the man told him gently.   
  
_That and much more,_ Leia thought and only realized she'd spoken out loud when she saw Luke shrug his shoulder in response.   
  
"You could do more as well, you know, Arica."   
  
She sighed and mumbled, "But not nearly enough."   
  
The old man looked at her, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Have you ever learned to deflect fire back?" he asked.   
  
"No. I've seen L…I've seen it done before." She stumbled over the last words, very nearly mentioning Lord Vader before she stopped herself. "I mean, I've done it once or twice, but only by luck."   
  
The pilot snorted. "It's _all_ luck, if you ask me."   
  
"Then it's a good thing we didn't ask you." Leia didn't turn around, but was sure that she would see him rolling his eyes if she did.   
  
Luke did turn, though. "You don't believe in the force?"   
  
"I've been from one end of the galaxy to the other, kid. I've seen too many strange things to believe there's some all-encompassing 'force' controlling our destinies. I control my own destiny."   
  
Luke opened his mouth again to respond, but Leia cut him off. "Don't waste words on him, Luke." She turned back and took in the pilot; she'd seen his type before. "He's just afraid of what he doesn't understand and can't control."   
  
The pilot's eyes flashed and Leia knew she'd hit the mark. "Listen, _sweetie_, I'm not afraid of anything or anyone. Just remember that." He spun his chair away from them and began absently wiping the monitor on the console.   
  
For a moment Leia felt guilty, but then reminded herself that he'd asked for it. When she turned back to the old man, she found him watching her intently.   
  
"What?"   
  
The old man just smiled and shook his head. "I apologize." He turned away from her. "Now, Luke, why don't you try it?"   
  
Luke nodded and ignited his saber, bringing it up into a defensive position. Leia moved toward the pilot to give Luke space and noticed that the pilot had turned back to watch.   
  
"He doesn't look as good with that thing as you do," the pilot commented.   
  
Leia shrugged, following Luke's movements with her eyes. "He hasn't been using it for as long as…ooh!" She let out a sharp gasp when one of the laser bolts grazed the back of Luke's thigh.   
  
The pilot chuckled. "He's not as good-looking either."   
  
Leia turned to look at him and found him grinning back. He did have a nice smile. She felt the corners of her mouth quirking and looked quickly back at Luke. "I don't know," she said, "he's not bad. Not bad at all…"   
  
The pilot grunted in response and this time she did smile. 

* * *

Han leaned back in his seat—regretting once again that he hadn't bought those ergonomic chairs back at the Ondopad market last year—and surveyed the scene before him with a bemused expression. The boy continued to practice against the remote, blocking the shots fairly well now; Chewie and the droids had started another game and were squabbling again already; the old man spoke as softly as ever, droning on and on about how Luke had to "feel" the _force_ and use his instinct; the girl watched the two in rapt attention. Han sighed. He was definitely the only sane one on board, he decided.   
  
After blocking a few shots in quick succession, the boy grinned up proudly at the old man.   
  
"There, you see, you _can_ do it, Luke!"   
  
Han rolled his eyes; he couldn't believe the stuff this guy was feeding the kid. The old man was too clever by far; he was going to get the kid's hopes up and then… Well, what happened then depended on what the old man was using him for. At best the kid's hopes would be dashed, at worst he would be dead. Han shook his head. Nobody, not even Jabba, used him that way. Han knew he might end up dead anyway, but it wouldn't be because he was blindly following some conniving old man, no matter how impressive he might seem.   
  
Still, Han had to acknowledge the kid's abilities; how he was managing to block those laser shots was beyond him. The girl stood fairly close to Han and seemed almost enamored with the kid. He couldn't see why; from what she'd shown, her skills with the laser-sword were far superior to the kid's. Unless she really _was_ attracted to him… Han glanced over at her again. She was certainly interested in the kid, but somehow he didn't think it was because of looks.   
  
Abruptly, the girl stood up and walked over to the kid. The old man had been in the middle of speaking, but stopped as she neared.   
  
"Yes, Arica?"   
  
"I thought Luke might like to spar." Han couldn't see the girl's face, but he imagined she was grinning.   
  
The kid seemed to get very uncomfortable, powering down his sword and rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, I don't know…"   
  
"Don't worry, Luke, I'll be easy on you."   
  
The kid's head shot up and Han could see defiance in his eyes for a moment, then he stared back at the deck, shuffling his feet. "I just…I don't think I'm…"   
  
Han chuckled, enjoying the kid's discomfort. "Come on, kid, that's not how you act around a woman."   
  
He was rewarded with a blush from the kid. At the same time, the girl spun around to glare at him. "And just how _do_ you act around a woman?"   
  
Han grinned and rested a leg on the edge of the console. "Cool and confident," he answered.   
  
"And this _works_ for you."   
  
Slinging his second leg over his first, Han leaned back in his seat. "I haven't had any complaints yet, sweetheart."   
  
The girl raised an eyebrow and Han waited for her comeback. It never came. Instead she broke into a—seductive?—smile and began walking toward him. "Cool and confident," she repeated as she walked. There was an exaggerated swing of her hips and Han felt his mouth go dry.   
  
He cleared his throat. "Cool and confident," he nodded, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, not knowing where she was going with this.   
  
When she circled behind his chair, Han forced himself not to look back at her, though his hand strayed instinctively to the holster at his thigh. He still had to fight not to jump when he suddenly felt her hands on his shoulders.   
  
"I don't know, Captain Solo," she said lightly as she began kneading his muscles. "Right now, you feel kind of tense."   
  
Han shifted subtly—he hoped—well aware that all conversation on the ship had stopped. He glanced over at the boy—who stood staring wide-eyed, his mouth gaping open a bit—and smiled. Let the boy get a real show, he thought, and leaned back into her hands, trying to enjoy the massage.   
  
"Well, barely outrunning two Star Destroyers will do that to you."   
  
The girl chuckled and he could sense her leaning in more closely. "But you always stay 'cool and confident,' right, Captain?"   
  
Her abdomen was pressed lightly at his neck and he could feel the swell of her breasts brush softly against the top of his head. Han gulped. "Yeah."   
  
"You never let anything get to you…"   
  
Suddenly Han was very much aware of one small hand moving slowly away from his shoulder and down to his chest.   
  
"Uh…" Had she asked him something?   
  
The hand kept inching its way down the front of his shirt, over his stomach.   
  
"Cool and confident, Captain Solo…" she whispered, her mouth close to his ear, a stray piece of hair grazing his cheek.   
  
"Um…"   
  
Han closed his eyes as the hand moved to his waistband. Two fingers had made their way under the fabric, when Han shot out of the chair.   
  
"I have to go check on the…" he mumbled as he strode quickly out of the room.   
  
Chewie's loud guffaws stopped him short. He spun around, about to order Chewie out as well, when he caught sight of the kid trying to hold in laughter and failing miserably. "It's not funny!" he yelled, but this only caused Chewie to laugh harder, practically tumbling over from hyperventilation. Han glared at the kid who was by now laughing hysterically. The old man wasn't laughing, but the corners of his mouth twitched and his eyes sparkled brightly.   
  
Han turned, finally, to the girl, who stood leaning on the back of the chair he had so recently vacated, one arm crossed lazily over the other. She chuckled softly, a wide smile on her face. Han opened his mouth to yell again, but was stopped by the sudden thought that he liked the girl's smile. Her eyes had seemed so old when he had first seen her, but now they were twinkling with delight and he found he wanted very much to keep them that way.   
  
He let his stern expression fade and grinned. "Alright, maybe it was a little funny," he admitted.   
  
Chewie came over and pounded him on the shoulder. Han chuckled but said with mock severity, "Just don't get carried away, fuzzball."   
  
The girl straightened up and shrugged a silent apology at him. He nodded back and extended his hand toward her.   
  
She was halfway to him when she crumpled to the deck. 

* * *

A/N – I know that Leia Organa would never have done that, but this is about Leia Darkstar J

Thanks for all the reviews!  I hope you enjoyed this one—I certainly enjoyed writing it ;)


	6. Darkness Descends

**Part II: The _Millenium Falcon_**

**Chapter 3 – Darkness Descends**

The tidal wave of dark energy that crashed into her was as brief as it was intense. Never had she had access to such power. Never had she lost herself so completely in that power.   
  
But the dark surge that had so utterly overwhelmed her in that instant was gone as suddenly as it came; as though a black hole had appeared and sucked it away so thoroughly that some of her own essence was pulled away with it. She was left grasping at the fractured pieces of her personality, desperately and frantically reconstructing her very self.   
  
With a gasping breath she broke back into the conscious world, instantly aware of a huge pair of hairy arms supporting her and two warm hands painfully grasping her own.   
  
"Hurts," she managed to mumble, before she even opened her eyes, focusing on the one sensation that was, without doubt, completely physical.   
  
"Arica? Are you all right?"   
  
She was surprised by the amount of worry she heard in the man's voice. One hand released its grip and patted her non-too-gently on the cheek.   
  
"Arica, what's wrong?"   
  
"It hurts!" she bit out, finally opening her eyes. The pilot's face hovered inches from her own, his eyes not bothering to hide his concern. Chewbacca's whiskers brushed against her as he moved closer to her side.   
  
"What hurts? What is it?" the pilot asked anxiously.   
  
"My hand."   
  
The pilot glanced down. "Why? Did you scrape it when you fell?"   
  
She looked at him, confused. "No. You're holding it too tight."   
  
For a moment he stared at her blankly, then quickly disengaged his fingers. "Oh, sorry."   
  
"Thanks." She gave him an annoyed look as she tried to rub the circulation back into her hand.   
  
"I think she's all right, Ben. How are _you_?" For the first time, Leia noticed the old Jedi, sitting beside her. Luke was leaning over him, a hand on his shoulder—clearly worried—but the Jedi's attention was focused on her, worry etched into his brow.   
  
There was silence for a moment as the Jedi studied her face. She found herself very uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and looked back at him suspiciously; why was he so worried, anyway?   
  
"I'm fine," she snapped. "Really," she added, more softly.   
  
The old Jedi nodded, seemingly satisfied with her well-being, though somehow she felt it had very little to do with her own insistence. The pilot straightened and stepped away from her, and Chewbacca slowly released his hold. Luke, who had been glancing back and forth between them, took this as a sign to refocus the attention on his mentor.   
  
"Ben?"   
  
The Jedi waved a hand at the boy. "I'm perfectly all right, Luke. I just need a moment."   
  
"But what's wrong? What happened to you, Ben?"   
  
The old man shook his head. "I'm not sure. I felt a disturbance in the force. It was as if millions of voices cried out at once...and were silenced."   
  
The room was quiet and Leia found herself staring at the Jedi. The pain he felt seemed to emanate from him in waves, mixed with a large amount of worry and anxiety. He didn't even know who had been hurt, she realized in wonder, and yet he mourned for their suffering. Then he sat up a bit straighter and Leia could almost feel his emotions shift from intense worry to an almost…peacefulness. Certainly not joy, but… Leia couldn't put her finger on it.   
  
"Is that what you felt, Arica?" the Jedi asked her.   
  
"N-no. Not exactly." For some reason she felt almost ashamed to admit to the influx of dark power she had experienced.   
  
He held her gaze for a moment, then turned back to Luke. "Why don't you continue practicing?" He held up a hand forestalling the boy's objections. "I'm perfectly all right, Luke."   
  
Luke nodded reluctantly and—with an almost suspicious look at Leia—turned back to his exercise. The pilot and Chewbacca had returned to their seats, the Jedi whispered instructions and encouragement to Luke, and Leia was relieved to have been forgotten for the moment.   
  
"How did you find us?"   
  
Leia nearly jumped at the soft comment. She turned to find the old Jedi still focused entirely on Luke. Had he even spoken?   
  
"How did you find us?"   
  
This time she saw the Jedi's mouth moving and was amazed at his ability to split his concentration so well.   
  
"I followed Luke," she said just as quietly, working through in her mind how much she should tell him, not knowing how much he already knew.   
  
She doubted anyone else noticed the old Jedi's slight grin. "And how did you find _Luke_?"   
  
"I sensed him in the force." She paused, again choosing her words. "He shines."   
  
"Do you see him shining now?"   
  
"No. I can't…I mean, I can't _see_ him that way without…help." She silently begged for him not to ask anything more; she wasn't sure how she would explain.   
  
"Would you like to see him that way again?"   
  
Leia's breath caught in her throat and she could feel her pulse quicken. "Yes," she whispered so quietly she wasn't sure he had heard until he responded.   
  
"Try to sense him again, as you did when you had _help_."   
  
"It won't work."   
  
For the first time in the conversation, the Jedi turned to her. "Humor me."   
  
Leia shrugged and closed her eyes. Without reaching for her master, she stretched out her senses for Luke's presence. Suddenly she felt a soft nudging at the edge of her mind and she hesitantly opened herself up to receive—what must be—the old Jedi's power. Expecting the experience to be similar to her connection with her master, she was surprised by how gently the power flowed through her.   
  
"Arica, open your eyes."   
  
Leia did so and was immediately assaulted by the brilliance of Luke's presence. It was concentrated almost wholly in his own person, but small tendrils of light snaked out along the lightsaber he held and—even more faintly—to the remote which hovered a few feet away.   
  
"Luke, let's try something else." The old Jedi moved across her line of vision and distracted her immediately from Luke. The Jedi glowed as well, not with the same radiance as Luke, but in a way, Leia felt, that was even more impressive. Whereas Luke's energy was almost completely within himself, the Jedi's seemed to stretch out to every corner of the room and beyond. As though he was constantly, intrinsically, connected to the universe as a whole.   
  
Leia barely noticed what new exercise the Jedi was trying with Luke, focusing instead on the amazing interplay of lights as the two interacted. When the Jedi sat beside her again, she kept her eyes on Luke, vaguely aware that he was now wearing a helmet.   
  
"Do you always see him like this?" she asked, breathlessly.   
  
She thought she heard the Jedi chuckle. "I don't see him like that now."   
  
Leia turned to him in surprise. "What do you mean?"   
  
"Arica, everyone relates to the force differently, simply because we are all elementally different. I can sense Luke's strength, just as I sensed yours, but I perceive it much differently than you do."   
  
The Jedi spoke again to Luke. "Luke, stop trying to predict where the remote is going. Rely on your senses, your instinct."   
  
For a moment the light surrounding Luke seemed to expand, encompassing a wide area around him. There was a pause and then the remote attacked again. This time Luke parried every shot, flawlessly.   
  
"He's so powerful. I wish I could have his power," Leia breathed.   
  
As the Jedi rose to congratulate Luke, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Arica, look at yourself."   
  
At first Leia didn't react, almost afraid of what she would see if she did look. Then, slowly, she lowered her eyes to her hands…and froze.   
  
The light that shone back at her, _her_ light, was nothing like Luke's—his was a bright white, hers was heavily shaded in areas by gray or black streaks—and yet it was nearly as intense. It seemed like an eternity that she stared at her hands, confusion and disbelief crying out in her mind. What could it mean? Was it a remnant of her master's power left clinging to her presence? Surely, it couldn't be her own…   
  
The sound of beeping and a growl from Chewbacca interrupted her thoughts. The pilot was suddenly brushing past her. "We're coming up on Alderaan," she heard him say. Chewbacca followed him out towards the cockpit and she was left watching the light fade slowly from her vision.   
  
"You know, I did feel something," Luke was saying, excitement in his voice.   
  
The Jedi answered warmly, "You've taken the first step into a larger universe."   
  
It was the last thing she heard before she was left staring at her ordinary, calloused hands, clenching tightly at the fabric of her pants, as though clinging to the light that had already disappeared. 

* * *

It took Leia a few moments to regain her bearings once the vision faded. Everyone was moving out of the room and she had to concentrate, trying to recall bits of conversation that had only skimmed her consciousness at the time, before realizing that they must be switching to sublight engines. Internally chastising herself for her significant break in concentration—her life often depended on being aware of everything that went on around her, at all times—she quickly rose, following Luke and the Jedi to the cockpit. There was no particular reason for her to be there, she knew, but she had always found a strange pleasure in seeing the stars blink back to tiny specks when a ship came out of hyperspace. As a passenger she rarely got to see it, and—though she sometimes wished for one desperately—as yet her master had not offered her a personal ship. So for the split second when she felt the slight flutter in her stomach that signified their emergence into subspace, she was disappointed at having missed it. The feeling was quickly replaced by alarm when the ship jerked suddenly.   
  
She immediately distinguished the sounds of several objects hitting the deflector shields and—bracing herself against the shifting movements of the ship—she rushed the rest of the way to the cockpit, where she found the pilot and Chewbacca moving frantically over the controls.   
  
"But what could have destroyed an entire planet?" Luke was demanding as the pilot nudged him out of the way.   
  
Leia glanced up at the viewscreen. They seemed to have come out of hyperspace right into an asteroid field with nothing but empty space beyond. Unless the pilot was completely incompetent, which she doubted, that meant something was horribly wrong. Alderaan was gone.   
  
The memory of the dark assault she had experienced earlier rose unbidden, and she steadied herself with a hand against the hatchway, feeling slightly sick.   
  
"The Empire," the Jedi intonted, echoing her own thoughts in a quiet, but firm, voice.   
  
She could sense everyone turning to stare at him, horror and disbelief as palpable as the occasional hits from the space debris. She kept her own eyes on the viewscreen, willing the vision away, willing the truth away.   
  
"No," the pilot said, finally. "The entire Imperial fleet combined wouldn't have enough firepower for something like this."   
  
He sounded so sure that Leia almost wanted to believe him. But she knew better. She wasn't supposed to know the details of the stolen plans, but as soon as she'd discovered that Tarkin and Vader were after the droids, she'd made sure to investigate further. What she had learned hadn't shocked her at the time, in fact it seemed almost natural for her master to have a weapon of such power, but now the full import of the battle station was dawning on her. Her master had the ability to destroy the entire galaxy, the entire _universe_, if he so chose. The thought was both terrifying and exhilarating at once. She couldn't tell which emotion dominated her psyche. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.   
  
Leia glanced around the cockpit silently, hardly listening to the frantic conversation, as the pilot and Luke tried to make sense of the confusion. When she turned to the Jedi, she found him gazing right back and couldn't help but feel that he knew...somehow he knew.   
  
Tearing her eyes away, she looked back at the viewscreen just as a number of alarms began sounding and a small, distant shape materialized.   
  
"It's another ship," the pilot announced. "Can't make out the type yet."   
  
"That's an Imperial fighter," the Jedi stated, a tone of finality in his voice. But Leia didn't need to be told. She knew what it was and knew where it came from. The battle station was complete and operational, and they were heading straight for it.   
  
She glanced again at the Jedi, the pilot, Chewbacca, and finally Luke. Even without her force vision she could sense the light in him: in his face, in his eyes. He was clean and pure and...untainted. She remembered the black streaks she had seen in her own light and a part of her revolted violently against the idea that his light, his strength, become tainted in that way. If they were captured by that battle station, then that would surely be the result. His light would become deeper and darker, till it was more like Lord Vader's simmering volcanic power than the bright light she sensed now.   
  
The thought had barely formed, was barely conscious, when Leia almost physically recoiled in shock from it. Why wouldn't she _want_ Luke to become as powerful as Vader? She had secretly desired that very thing for herself so often that it seemed it was never far from her mind, a constant, dull ache she rarely admitted to, even to herself. But the knowledge couldn't shake the resolve she felt settling over her. Somehow she _didn't_ want that darkness for Luke, and the idea of it happening seemed utterly wrong.   
  
"Go." She said it so softly that no one seemed to hear her.   
  
"It's heading for that small moon...I think I can get him before he gets there. He's almost in range..."   
  
"Go," she said again, this time more loudly, but only Luke turned to look at her, confused.   
  
"That's no moon." The Jedi practically breathed the words, but they could all hear him. "That's a space station."   
  
"It's too big to be a space station..."   
  
"Go. Now." Leia cut the pilot off, forcefully, knowing she had to move quickly. "Get into the escape pods and go. They'll have noticed the ship already, but they may not think to look for pods this far out when they find me."   
  
"What are you talking about, Arica?" the pilot demanded, a rough edge to his voice. "There's no way I'm leaving you with my ship!"   
  
"Yes, you are!" Leia practically screamed. Didn't he understand? Time was running out. "It's your only chance. Leave me here...with the droids and you'll be fine..."   
  
"And what about you?"   
  
"...And I'll be fine," she continued quickly.   
  
Luke's voice suddenly cut in. "Why do you need the droids? The droids have to stay with..."   
  
"Captain, we need to get out of here," the Jedi interrupted, the only calm voice.   
  
Leia sighed, waiting for the other four to move out of the cockpit, but instead the pilot swiveled around in his seat and began adjusting controls.   
  
"I think you're right, old man. Full reverse, Chewie."   
  
"No," Leia cried. "You don't understand. You have to..."   
  
The Jedi's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "We're not leaving you, Arica. Not now."   
  
Leia could feel the fight drain out of her and let her shoulders slump in resignation. "You don't understand," she said quietly, desperately. But she already knew it was too late when she felt the ship lurch, caught tight in the station's tractor beam. 

* * *

End Part II 

A/N: Jacinto – Where did you see this done before?  I'd love to read someone else's take!

Just a warning to the rest of you—Ch. 5 was The Fun Post, gets a bit darker from here on in (not _too_ dark, don't worry)—as you may have guessed from the title of this ch.!


	7. Choices

Part III: The Death Star

**Chapter One - Choices**

For some time after realizing that there was no longer any hope of escape for Luke, Leia was silent. She didn't regret her decision, and she certainly wasn't mulling over it, but she couldn't bring herself to actively participate in a conversation with people she was going to betray. She barely listened as they made plans to hide, only noting, with a certain amount of shock, that the Jedi seemed to think they had a chance at escape. It was no use though. As soon as they landed on that station, Arica Lafeila, the girl who had played Dejarik with a Wookiee and given a starpilot a massage, would cease to exist, and Leia Darkstar would betray them all.   
  
She nodded her head, acknowledging that she understood their plan, and followed them out to the corridor. It took her a few moments to realize that the Jedi was eyeing her as they all tried to arrange themselves into the compartments, but as soon as she did she made a point of turning her back on him. The old Jedi would surely be the first to die when she turned them in.   
  
Once they had positioned the floorboard in place she lay back, shifting as quietly as possible in the cramped space. She could hardly believe that in spite of everything she had finished this flight right back where she had started—in the storage compartment. Of course, she had been able to spread out better when she had occupied it alone, but she had to admit that it was far more comfortable with her companion. Feeling his arm circle her more securely, she grinned in the darkness and rested her head on his chest. His soft fur cushioned her almost like a pillow and she was once again relieved that she had managed to slip in with Chewbacca, before being stuck with the droids.   
  
The sound of the entrance ramp being lowered disturbed her thoughts and she could feel Chewbacca tense beneath her. He was nearly invisible to her in the dark but she glanced at him anyway. In some ways, she realized, he probably had the most to lose by discovery. She could sense worry in him, yet something told her that he was much more worried about the pilot, or even her, than he was about himself.   
  
Being paired with Chewbacca had been a close call. They hadn't had much time to discuss who went where, but she and Luke were the smallest, so it made sense to pair them with Chewbacca and the droids, respectively. Luke seemed to have been happy with the arrangement as well, though why she couldn't imagine, it couldn't be very comfortable in there. At the time she hadn't questioned it, she had still been slightly unnerved by the pilot's comment as she settled in next to Chewbacca.   
  
_"Just be careful in there, Chewie. Her hands tend to roam."_ Then he had winked and slid down next to the Jedi, ignoring Chewbacca's low growl and her own glare. She knew she shouldn't have pulled that stunt.   
  
The pilot might escape with his life at most, though probably not his freedom, she thought, as armored feet clanged on the metal surface of the deck. She recognized the familiar shuffling pattern, as they cautiously searched for occupants.   
  
Knowing that they would be discovered any moment now, she reviewed in her mind what she would have to do. The droids were her priority. She had been ordered to bring them personally to her master, which meant that she had to get them into custody. She would have to contact Tarkin, somehow, and...   
  
Then again, the chances that Tarkin would simply _hand_ over the droids to her were virtually nil. He had no idea of her true position and she was under strict instruction never to reveal it to others. The fact that the plans would be in Imperial hands—which was probably all her master wanted anyway—was insignificant. In the end, she would still have failed at her mission. And Leia Darkstar did not fail at her missions.   
  
She would have to stay undercover (though she wasn't at all sure how much of a "cover" it was) until she could arrange things more to her liking, she decided. However unlikely it seemed that they might elude capture, she would have to go along with them for now. This way she would at least be able to keep an eye on the droids.   
  
Chewbacca nudged her as they heard the last of the troopers leave, the echo of his steps reverberating throughout the ship for a moment, then silencing. Then something else skimmed the edge of her senses, a dark, utterly familiar presence and she placed a hand on Chewbacca, staying him as he began to rise. She quickly tried as best she could to mask herself, knowing she wouldn't be able to hide from him for long. The only reason he hadn't sensed her yet was probably that he wasn't expecting to find her here.   
  
When Lord Vader was _consciously_ searching for her, he could pick her out from a planet of millions. His ability to do so had saved her life on more than one occasion. It seemed he was always in charge of her extraction from the most dangerous missions and she had come to expect the harsh sound of his breathing beside her, anchoring her to consciousness, as she recovered from often severe injuries. Sometimes she thought that his presence accelerated her healing, but whether this was done consciously or not, she couldn't say. She only knew that she had come to anticipate being with him and would feel disappointment when he wasn't in charge of her extraction. Other officers saw her only as a favorite plaything of the Emperor, and looked at her with disdain, disgust, lust...or a mixture of all three. But Vader was different. It was because he knew her true position, she supposed, and treated her with the deference she deserved.   
  
Vader.   
  
Vader was on board and Vader was one of the few people in the Empire who knew who she was. There was no reason why she couldn't report to him directly. He would be able to communicate the Emperor's orders to Tarkin, before the droids were even taken into custody. If everything worked out right, she would leave the station in possession of the droids and, as for the others...as for Luke...   
  
If Luke's force strength was discovered in time—or if she told them—he would be sent to her master for training. He would become a Dark Lord, she was sure, nearly as powerful as any who had lived. And then he would die. Darth Vader would kill him as soon as his own position was challenged. And Leia didn't harbor any thoughts that Luke might survive such an encounter with Vader. She had never seen anyone able to stand up to Lord Vader, except of course her master, but even then she often wondered if Vader was only holding back, waiting for the right time to strike. If she was silent and Luke's force strength managed to escape detection, he would, at best, be sent to a forced labor camp, at worst, be interrogated and then executed. Either way he would be lost.   
  
Leia shook her head. She could complete her mission right now, all she had to do was announce her presence, and the droids would be hers. But instead, she stayed silent, still shielding herself. Something wasn't right, she told herself. Maybe it wasn't the right time, maybe... Vader was still close by and she waited until she felt his presence move away, before shifting to her feet and pushing up the floorboard with Chewbacca.   
  
"This is ridiculous," the pilot complained, and Leia winced at how loudly he spoke.   
  
"Keep your voice down," she whispered harshly.   
  
The pilot didn't seem to acknowledge her comment, but his next words were spoken significantly more softly.   
  
"Even if I could take off, we'd never get past that tractor beam."   
  
Leia had to agree with him, but kept silent. It was one thing to prevent their capture, it was quite another to actively help them escape. Besides, she wasn't sure she would get the droids if they escaped now, and there was no rebel stronghold on Alderaan for her to get information on. She silently cursed herself for hesitating with Vader. She could still go to him, she knew, before they attempted their escape.   
  
"I'll take care of the tractor beam," the Jedi said, and somehow Leia wasn't surprised.   
  
"I was afraid you'd say something like that. You're a damn fool, old man." The pilot had a grim expression on his face, but Leia thought she detected something like admiration in his eyes.   
  
"Who's the bigger fool," the old Jedi countered, with a grin, "the fool or the one that follows him?"   
  
The pilot looked away, muttering something under his breath about credits and bounty hunters. As she turned to help Chewbacca out of the compartment, Leia caught Luke's eyes and grinned at him. Luke glanced over at the pilot and the Jedi, before hesitantly grinning back. But the grin faded quickly and was replaced by a guarded expression as she moved to stand by the astromech droid. He non-so-subtly stepped between her and the droid. Leia raised an eyebrow, but pretended not to notice. She was impressed for a moment that he had picked up on her interest in the droids, then she remembered her earlier comment about staying on the ship with the droids and his reaction to it. Well, _he_ certainly wouldn't trust her anymore, though at this point it hardly mattered   
  
"So, _great leader_," the pilot began once everyone was free of the compartments, "how do you plan on even _finding_ the tractor beam unit? And I don't think waltzing up to a trooper and asking will work."   
  
"Access to a computer should be all that is necessary."   
  
Leia was once again amazed at how the Jedi kept his cool in the face of the pilot's sarcasm. If anything, the more disrespectful the pilot got, the more the Jedi's eyes seemed to sparkle with a private amusement.   
  
The pilot started to ask another question when they heard the sound of voices floating up the ramp.   
  
"Do you think they're sending more troopers to search?" Luke asked, nervously.   
  
Leia shook her head, forgetting momentarily her resolution not to assist. "More likely a scanning team. There shouldn't be too many of them."   
  
She looked up, meeting first the Jedi's eyes and then the pilot's. Both nodded, and the pilot nudged Chewbacca to stand opposite him.   
  
They allowed the technicians to get fully onto the ship before Chewbacca and the pilot knocked them cleanly, Chewbacca with a fist, the pilot with the butt of his blaster. Leia winced at the crashing sound when the technicians dropped their equipment, but had to admit that she was impressed when the pilot quickly yelled down: "Hey, could you give us a hand with this?"   
  
The procedure was repeated when the two troopers came up, with Luke felling the second one this time. The Jedi instructed the two other men to change into the armor.   
  
"What about you?" Luke asked, predictably worried.   
  
"I'll be alright," the Jedi assured him.   
  
Chewbacca growled and the pilot nodded his head vigorously in response. "Yeah, what about Arica?"   
  
Leia was only able to hide her shock, because she had already turned away from the others. Intellectually she knew that people in a group looked out for each other, but...it still took some getting used to. She had already started kneeling to one of the technicians and—removing his cap and jacket—she turned back around.   
  
"This'll have to do," she said, pulling on the jacket and tucking loose strands of her hair up into the cap. "Besides, I'm a bit short for a stormtrooper."   
  
Surprisingly, the Jedi was the only one who didn't seem satisfied. "Can you hide yourself?" he asked.   
  
She knew immediately that he was referring to shielding, and she shrugged in response. "Well enough."   
  
"Stay near me." It was an order. Spoken gently, but an order just the same.   
  
"I can take care of myself," she responded, instinctively defensive; she didn't need another master.   
  
The Jedi stepped closer to her. Expecting to be ordered again, this time more harshly, she raised her chin defiantly. But for a few moments he said nothing, only gazed at her calmly with those clear blue eyes of his. At first she held her ground, then she felt her defiance fade, slightly. As soon as it did, he backed away a bit and said softly, "I would feel better if you stayed nearby."   
  
_You'd feel better if you could keep your eye on me,_ she almost responded, but stopped herself in time. She should probably just nod and tell him she'd stay close, but there was something about him that made him hard to lie to. Of course, telling him that she might slip away so that she could steal their droids wasn't an option either.   
  
"I won't go far," she said instead. She still wasn't sure she would go to Vader, but—even assuming she did—as long as she stayed on the station, she wouldn't be _far_...at least, from a certain point of view.   
  
The Jedi seemed to ponder this for a moment, then nodded.   
  
Eager to end the uncomfortable confrontation, Leia pulled a blade out of her cuff and knelt to finish off the first of the troopers.   
  
"What are you doing?" Luke cried out.   
  
"We can't just leave them here. What if they wake up?" she responded, barely glancing up. She was about to bring the blade across the man's throat in a smooth cut, when a firm hand on her arm stopped her. She looked up, surprised, at the Jedi.   
  
"There is another alternative," he said. The expression on his face was unreadable, but Leia thought she could detect some pity in his voice. Pity for the troopers? Pity for her? She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.   
  
She sat back and watched him go from one man to the other, gently placing his hand on each forehead. He hadn't killed them, she could sense that, but she couldn't tell what he _had_ done.   
  
"They'll stay unconscious now..."   
  
"For how long?" she challenged.   
  
"For long enough," he responded, motioning them out of the ship.   
  
Leia was beginning to rise, when she caught Luke's eyes. He regarded her with a shocked, and even disgusted expression before turning to follow the Jedi. She sank back to the deck, feeling the blood drain from her face, but not quite understanding why it bothered her so much to have Luke look at her that way.   
  
A gentle nudge in the side pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see Chewbacca offering his hand. When she hesitated, the pilot, who was already starting down the ramp, called back, "Come on, you two, let's get going."   
  
She let out a slow sigh and, taking Chewbacca's hand, allowed herself to be pulled up. It never occurred to her that she could have done it by herself.

* * *

Luke was officially in a bad mood by the time they were safely into the command office. This was not going at all how he'd imagined. First, he'd nearly been shot by that creature at the cantina, then they'd barely made it off Tatooine alive. When they'd finally made it to Alderaan, it seemed to have disappeared and the closest habitable entity was an Imperial space station, intent on their capture. And now Solo, with that lumbering giant he called a co-pilot, seemed to be making every effort to announce their existence to every Imperial within shouting distance.   
  
"Between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here," he yelled at the man standing behind him.   
  
Solo turned on him. "I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around."   
  
Luke could feel his temper slipping and didn't bother trying to quell it. "Maybe you're in a hurry to die, but I'm not. All this sneaking around has kept us alive."   
  
Solo looked like he was about to answer, but instead turned away and pointedly focused on Ben's movements at the console, nodding to something Chewie was barking out.   
  
Luke shook his head in frustration and fought down the urge to slump into a chair. Instead he stood behind Ben and tried—unsuccessfully—to feel useful. No matter what he said, Solo seemed to correct him derisively, and even Ben had to gently chide him for his naïveté. Was everyone intent on making him feel like a worthless nuisance? The pilot he'd been so looking forward to meeting on their way to Mos Eisley had turned out to be little more than a common criminal who had treated him like an annoying child. And, worse, that Arica girl had appeared out of nowhere and shown him up in front of everyone, the smuggler included.   
  
The fact that he genuinely liked both of them didn't help matters much. He didn't want to like a smuggler who was constantly putting him down, and he certainly didn't want to like a girl who had been about to casually cut a man's throat a few minutes ago.   
  
But it wasn't hard to admit that he did. Han Solo—in his good moments—was a bit how Luke had always pictured his father: a spacer, flying through the stars from port to port, tall and handsome, with an easy grin, and, of course, cool and confident. Luke chuckled to himself at the memory of Solo bolting out of his seat at the touch of a girl who couldn't have been _much_ older than Luke himself. It had been strangely comforting to know that Solo could lose his cool like that. It made Luke feel that much less naïve and immature.   
  
As for Arica, she had to be one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen. Not that he'd seen very many of course. He didn't like the way she seemed to take up so much of Ben's attention when she was around, but he found it somewhat comforting to know that there were other people out there who could..._touch_ the force. It made him feel like he belonged to something bigger, something important. And, of course, she had a great sense of humor.   
  
"...I must go alone."   
  
Luke's head shot up in alarm as he caught the end of Ben's sentence. Ignoring Solo's insolent response, he moved closer to Ben.   
  
"I want to go with you," he insisted.   
  
Ben shook his head. "This requires skills you haven't yet mastered, Luke."   
  
Luke opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when Ben raised a hand to forestall his response.   
  
"You must stay and watch over the droids. They must be delivered to the Rebel forces or many more worlds will meet the same fate as Alderaan. Trust in the force, Luke—and wait."   
  
Luke wanted to say more, to persuade him that they should stay together, but he couldn't think of any convincing reasons. He just didn't want to lose Ben. As long as Ben was around he felt like he had a purpose, he felt that he was connected to something, to someone, but without him, he was alone. But he could only watch, powerless, as Ben slipped noiselessly from the room.   
  
"Where'd you dig up that old fossil?" Solo belted out as soon as the door slid shut.   
  
Luke bristled, but hesitated a moment, half expecting Arica to jump into the conversation first, before responding, "Ben Kenobi—_General_ Kenobi—is a great man."   
  
Solo snorted and shook his head. "Great at getting us into trouble. He's not going to get us out of here!"   
  
"Have you got any..." Luke quieted as soon as he realized that Solo wasn't listening to him. He had stood up slowly and was glancing around the room, as if searching for something. Luke saw Chewie looking around as well and suddenly realized what was bothering them.   
  
"Where's Arica?" Solo asked no one in particular. Something about the way he said it reminded Luke of the sudden quiet that descended on Anchorhead before a sandstorm ripped through.   
  
When no one provided an answer, Solo repeated the question, more loudly this time. "Where's Arica?"   
  
"I don't know!" Luke answered, feeling as though _some_ sort of response was warranted.   
  
Solo ignored him and spun around to face the droids. "Goldenrod!" he yelled. When Threepio didn't respond, he took two long strides over to him and roughly spun him around. "Hey, you! Where did Arica go?"   
  
"I-I don't know, Captain Solo, she was behind me in the corridor, and I didn't notice she was..." Threepio looked sharply down at Artoo when he beeped insistently.   
  
"What do you mean, she went a different direction in the hallway?" Threepio demanded. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"   
  
Artoo warbled defensively in response and Threepio clunked him on the head. "Well, obviously they _are_ interested in where she goes, you little..."   
  
Solo, who had been listening to the exchange with growing impatience, grabbed Threepio by the shoulders and shook. "Just shut up and ask him where she is now!"   
  
Threepio stood still for a moment and Luke immediately realized what the problem was. "Artoo, would you please tell us which way Arica was headed? Threepio, you can translate for us."   
  
"Yes, sir." Threepio seemed slightly relieved and listened as Artoo answered. "Artoo says that, based on the layout of the station, she was headed for the main lift. Beyond that she could have gone anywhere."   
  
Solo let go of the droid and glanced at Luke in confusion. "Have you got them programmed to only listen to you?"   
  
"You gave him a contradictory order," Luke explained. "He can't shut up and ask a question at the same time."   
  
"Oh." Solo managed to look sheepish for a moment, then Chewie roared behind them and Solo's expression immediately faded to determination. "Of course, we're going to get her," he answered the Wookiee.   
  
Grabbing two blasters, Solo shoved one into Luke's hands and stalked to the door, Chewie close behind. Luke stayed where he was, staring down at the blaster in his hands.   
  
"What are you waiting for, kid?"   
  
Luke glanced up, then focused back down on his blaster, slightly embarrassed by what he was about to do. It was clear from Solo's expression that it hadn't even occurred to him _not_ to go after Arica.   
  
"I-I don't think we should go."   
  
"What?"   
  
Luke was slightly relieved only to hear shock in Solo's voice, and not disgust.   
  
"I don't think we should go after her. I think we should stay here till Ben gets back." He looked up and swallowed when the sound of a long, low growl filled the room.   
  
Solo took a few menacing steps forward, and pinned Luke with a glare. "Why?"   
  
Luke swallowed again and fought down the urge to cringe, he needed to sound confident that this was the right thing to do, even if he wasn't completely sure himself. "For one thing, we don't know where she went. She could be anywhere by now, and we'd just be putting our own lives in danger running around in circles." He paused, hoping Solo would be content with that, but he could tell from the man's expression that he wasn't buying it. "And besides...she-she wasn't exactly forced to leave us. She just walked away on her own. Right, Artoo?"   
  
The droid chirped in reply and neither Luke nor Solo needed Threepio's translation in order to understand.   
  
"So she went exploring." Solo shrugged, acting as though it wasn't a big deal, but Luke could tell from his guarded expression that he understood where Luke was going with this.   
  
"Han," Luke said, carefully, "we don't even know who she is..."   
  
"I don't know who you are either, kid. But I wouldn't leave you to just rot in this place!" Han lifted his arms in frustration. "Come on, kid. This is the same girl who was just playing games and laughing with us on the _Falcon_..."   
  
"I think she might be an Imperial," Luke blurted out, before Han could make him feel more guilty than he already did.   
  
Han's face changed quickly from frustration to anger, and he jabbed a finger into Luke's armor covered chest. "Then she's an Imperial who tried to save your butt back on the _Falcon_, Luke. Or did you forget _that_ already too?"   
  
Luke lifted his hands in a placating gesture. "I know. I know that. All I'm saying is that if she's an Imperial, then she won't be in danger on this station..._unlike_ us!"   
  
Han blinked and the anger seemed to disappear as quickly as it came. He stood staring at Luke for a few moments before he finally stepped away and nodded. "Alright. Fine. We stay here."   
  
Chewie, who had remained quiet through the exchange, suddenly roared and came charging toward them. Luke quickly backed away, half expecting to be knocked across the room by one of the Wookiee's giant fists. But Han grabbed Chewie's arm before he could do any damage.   
  
"Hey! I don't like it any better than you do, Chewie, but the kid's right. You saw her with that saber; she can take care of herself."   
  
For a few tense moments Luke thought that Chewie might just barrel him over anyway. Instead the Wookiee let out another roar, followed by a quick bark and strode away from Han, uprooting a chair that stood in his way. Just when Luke allowed himself a sigh of relief, Artoo started beeping and hooting wildly.   
  
"What now?" Luke asked, feeling the tension of the last few minutes creep into his voice.   
  
Threepio didn't respond to him right away, he didn't seem to understand Artoo's outburst much better than anyone else. "Who's here? Who have you found?"   
  
"Is it Arica?" Luke could sense Han and Chewie inching towards them, suddenly interested.   
  
Threepio shook his head. "No, sir. It's the senator, the one in the message he's carrying."   
  
"The senator is here? Where?" Why would the senator be on an Imperial space station?   
  
"Level five, detention block AA-23..."   
  
Luke leaned over the console and saw the readout for himself. "Scheduled for..._termination_! No!" He turned around frantically. "Han, we've got to do something! They're going to kill the senator."   
  
Han's eyes went wide with confusion. "Senator? What senator?"   
  
Luke let out an exasperated breath. "Senator Organa...of _Alderaan_. The one who sent us the plans..."   
  
"Plans?"   
  
"For this station. It's the only hope the Rebels have of..." Luke interrupted himself. "We don't have time for this, Han, we have to... What?"   
  
Han was shaking his head back and forth. "Oh no. Wait just a second here. Five minutes ago you were dead set against leaving this place to find Arica. Now you're suddenly willing to risk everything by marching into an Imperial detention block to save some senator you've never even met?! Do what you want, kid, but count me and Chewie out!"   
  
Luke's face fell. Han was right, he realized guiltily, he had been happy to stay put when Arica needed them, but as soon as it was the senator... Luke shook his head. No, Arica was probably not in any danger, the senator was about to be executed.   
  
"Come on, Han," he pleaded. "We don't know where Arica is right now and we can't help her, but we _can_ help Senator Organa."   
  
Han sat down in a huff. "Huh uh. There's no way I'm walking into a detention area for some senator I don't know and don't care about. The old man said to stay here and I plan on doing just that."   
  
Luke stood there for a moment, his lips pursed. He didn't know Han that well, but there had to be something that would convince him to help. Suddenly he knew.   
  
"This is a rich and powerful senator, Han," he began softly. Han's eye twitched, other than that he betrayed no emotion, but Luke could feel he was on the right track. "Can you imagine what kind of reward you'd get for rescuing a senator, one of the leaders of the Rebellion, probably the sole surviving heir of all the off-world wealth of an entire planet?"   
  
Han didn't look up, but his eyes had gone slightly wide. "You'd be surprised what I can imagine." He stopped, glancing back at Chewie, who—as far as Luke could tell—only stared back. "Alright, we'll give it a try. But," Han held up a finger as he rose from his seat, "we keep our eyes open for any sign of Arica."   
  
Luke nodded in agreement, barely keeping the smile off his face. That had been too easy.   
  
"Oh, and one more thing, kid."   
  
Luke looked up apprehensively. What now?   
  
"You'd better be right about that reward." 

* * *


	8. Meetings

Part III: The Death Star

Chapter One - Meetings

They were barely halfway across the docking bay, when Leia realized that her decision had been made for her. She could already feel Vader's searching probes, brushing by her senses. Even with her best shields up, she wouldn't be able to hide from him for long. There were only two options left: to make her presence known now, so that Vader could find her and her companions, or to leave the others, continuing to shield herself for as long as possible, contacting Vader alone.   
  
To her own surprise—not to mention concern—Leia never weighed the options, never consciously made a choice. But she kept her shields up, and when the Jedi led them around a corner into a long hallway just off of the bay, she found herself turning off into the opposite direction. With a single last look at Luke's retreating form, she moved as quickly and as soundlessly as possible away.   
  
It had been foolish of her to think that she could escape Vader's notice, she realized, even with the old Jedi's help. She had never been quite sure whether it was Vader's formidable force strength alone that allowed him to sense her so easily and from such distances, or whether her master had bonded them in some way without her knowledge. Either way, Vader would recognize her presence easily enough soon.   
  
She hadn't actually seen the plans of the battle station, but glancing around the nearly empty corridors, she recognized the familiar Imperial design. Betting that the layout of the station would be as predictable as it was on any other Imperial vessel she headed toward where the main lift bay would be.   
  
The corridors became more crowded as she neared the lifts and—finally loosening her tightly held inner shields—she worked on blending in with the other personnel. She walked briskly, purposefully, projecting the image of someone taller, with a larger build. And male, of course. Anyone who stopped to really look at her would immediately see through the distortion, but her acting skills, along with the small force trick, succeeded in making her seem utterly ordinary to passersby.   
  
Still, she was thankful to get into the lift alone. As soon as the doors shut, she leaned back against the wall and let all of her shields drop completely. Vader's dark presence immediately filled her senses, and she could tell that he was not at all surprised to find her here. She wondered if she had ever really been hidden from him. Of course, it hardly mattered now. She took another moment to locate him in relation to the station and punch in a number on the lift console, before mentally moving away from him. He must have sensed this, because his presence suddenly all but disappeared from her awareness.   
  
For the first time in her life she was relieved to feel him go.   
  
Usually, she welcomed his presence. Even knowing who Lord Vader was and what he was capable of, she had long ago found that his presence calmed her. She supposed it was because she associated it with the healing that came along after a dangerous mission. But at the moment there were too many thoughts swirling around at the edge of her consciousness—about Luke, about Chewbacca and the pilot—for her to feel comfortable with anyone in her mind.   
  
As the lift came to a stop, she found that she could sense Lord Vader again, just enough to locate him on that level. Keeping her shields down, she resumed her force-projection, striding her way purposefully down the sterile gray corridors.   
  
After a few twists and turns, she suddenly came out of a passageway only a few paces behind the swirling black robe of Lord Vader. She felt a slight flutter in her stomach at seeing him. She had known he was close, but hadn't realized just _how_ close.   
  
Vader didn't turn to acknowledge her—not that she had been expecting him to. But she immediately felt something unseen cloak her and, instead of seeing her but not paying her any heed, the personnel they passed didn't seem to see her at all. She dropped her own mediocre attempts and instead concentrated on increasing her speed to catch up with him. Her legs were so much shorter than his that she had to practically jog just to draw even with him, but once she did, he modulated his own strides—without saying a word—so that she didn't have to run alongside him.   
  
They walked like that for a few moments, not speaking. Leia found herself unsure of whether she was supposed to start the conversation—explaining why she was there—or let him take the helm. So she said nothing, until the silence became unbearable.   
  
"The droids are on the station," she stated, finally.   
  
For a moment she didn't think he would reply. Then he nodded slightly in acknowledgement and said, "You did well to bring them here."   
  
She felt a small swell of pride, even knowing that she hadn't had much to do with getting them here, and tried to ignore how much Lord Vader had sounded like her master when he said those words.   
  
"I have orders to bring them, intact, to the master."   
  
Vader stopped and turned suddenly, the edge of his robe billowing out behind him in a wave and then coming to rest against his legs.   
  
"Intact?" he asked, looking at her for the first time.   
  
Leia nodded. "The master was quite definite about that."   
  
Vader looked down at her for a few moments more and—since she couldn't sense any mind probe—she almost felt as if he was trying to read the truth of her words in her face.   
  
Then he turned away and began walking again. Leia hurried to join him, but didn't have any trouble hearing his next words.   
  
"What could be so important about these droids?"   
  
Lord Vader hardly mumbled, but it was clear to Leia that he was thinking out loud more than actually expecting her to know. Still, had she had any idea of an answer, she might have responded. As it was...   
  
"There were others with you."   
  
It was a statement, not a question, but Leia answered anyway. "Yes. Though I don't think most of them were involved."   
  
Vader didn't react outwardly, but she could sense his displeasure. "They became involved as soon as they allowed a Rebel sympathizer to join them." He paused, then added, "Remember your loyalties, Emperor's Hand."   
  
Leia bristled, as much at the use of her title as at the implication of his statement. When Vader referred to her it was generally as 'Lady Darkstar,' or simply, 'my Lady.' He was the only one who addressed her in that way and she found that it bothered her to have him use her actual title, instead. 'Lady,' at the very least, denoted _some_ level of independence.   
  
"I am always aware of who our master is, Darth Vader," she answered, coldly, purposely avoiding the word 'Lord,' as if to remind him that he owed nearly the same level of servitude to the Emperor as she did.   
  
They became silent again as they made their way through the corridor. Leia could sense the anger boiling beneath Lord Vader's calm exterior, but, as usual, she found herself unafraid that he might direct that anger against her. She was never sure what made her so confident of this, but she had not yet been given reason to distrust the feeling.   
  
She looked up as they turned a corner and saw immediately that they were headed toward a conference room.   
  
"Obi-wan Kenobi was on board."   
  
The statement took Leia so much by surprise, that for a moment she said nothing. But she knew, almost instinctively, who he was referring to. "The Jedi."   
  
Vader nodded.   
  
"He called himself Ben..."   
  
"Obi-wan Kenobi. I have felt his presence."   
  
They were almost at the room when Leia added, in a low voice, "He seemed to know me somehow."   
  
Vader stopped by the entrance to the room, but didn't seem nearly as surprised at this as she thought he should have been. "Did he know your name or position?"   
  
Leia shrugged. "If he did he didn't let on."   
  
Vader turned back to the room brushing off her uncertainty. "You may have reminded him of someone he once knew."   
  
This only served to spark Leia's curiosity further. She reminded the Jedi of someone? And if Vader knew, that meant that she reminded _him_ of someone as well. For some reason it was suddenly extremely important for her to find out who, and she nearly grabbed his arm to stop him from moving. "Who would I remind him of?"   
  
Vader stood still, not looking at her, and for a moment she didn't think he would answer at all. When he did, though, it wasn't much help. "Someone who died a long time ago."   
  
And, as if to forestall any more questions, he swept away from her, into the room. 

* * *

Leia had never met the Grand Moff Tarkin, but she knew who he was immediately. And she knew immediately that she didn't like him.   
  
Of course, she hadn't much liked him before—based on what she knew of his political and military strategies and beliefs—but this was a much more personal dislike. She could feel his eyes on her, could feel them tracing every line and curve, and—instead of feeling somewhat flattered, as she had when the pilot had done nearly the same thing—she felt violated. But it lasted barely a moment and then the governor's eyes were back on Lord Vader, a small smirk evident on his face.   
  
"Why, Lord Vader," the governor practically sang, "I had no idea you were interested in some companionship. I could have had arrangements made, you know. Although I'm not sure I could have procured anything as lovely as this."   
  
The governor's eyes flickered back to her appreciatively. Leia tried not to give into the sudden urge to hide behind Lord Vader. It was probably best to allow the governor to think what he wanted, and a woman used to providing "companionship" would certainly not be so shy.   
  
"But I'm disappointed, Lord Vader." The governor moved to her and took one of her hands with his bony fingers, bringing it up to his lips. "There are so few diversions on this vessel, you could have shared yours with the rest of..."   
  
One of the chairs around the conference table suddenly uprooted itself from the deck and flew into one of the walls. The governor dropped Leia's hand and took a step back, staring in shock at the mangled plastic and metal.   
  
Leia was just as shocked but her eyes flew instead to Lord Vader. She had been so preoccupied with her disgust for the governor, that she had missed completely the rage that had been building in Vader from the moment they had walked through the door. She was forced to take a few steps back as his dark form moved menacingly between herself and the governor.   
  
"Lord Vader!" the governor shouted, his face white with rage. "What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself."   
  
Leia suddenly found her own temper rising. Who did the man think he was to treat Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, as an underling? She could almost feel Vader holding himself back from making any personal attack on his superior. Why would her master order Lord Vader to be accountable to anyone else?   
  
"The Lady Darkstar," Vader rumbled, crisply and clearly pronouncing each word. "The Lady Darkstar is a personal agent of mine: nothing more, nothing less. I expect her to receive the same respect as any officer on this vessel. I will regard anything less as a personal affront. Is that understood, Governor Tarkin?"   
  
The governor's eyes went impossibly wide, but he managed to salvage a modicum of dignity as he cleared his throat and nodded with an assumed air of confidence. "Of course, Lord Vader. I apologize for the misunderstanding. There was certainly no offense intended."   
  
"Certainly not," Vader agreed, relaxing his pose somewhat, but staying in front of Leia.   
  
The governor succeeded in keeping any apprehension from his face, but Leia could easily sense the fear in him, kept just below the surface. The confrontation had shaken the man badly, but she knew that he wouldn't show it.   
  
"Now then, Lord Vader, what was it that you had to inform me of in person, hmm?"   
  
"Obi-wan Kenobi is here."   
  
"Obi-wan Kenobi!" the governor repeated in half concealed amusement. Leia found herself amazed at what was either the man's supreme over-confidence or his utter stupidity. How could he so easily slip back into his role as master, when he had just witnessed Vader's obvious superiority?   
  
"Surely he must be dead by now," the governor continued. "How can you be so sure?"   
  
"Obi-wan Kenobi is here," Vader insisted. "I have felt him through the force and the Lady Darkstar has just confirmed it. He is here with the droids."   
  
"The droids?" The governor's eyebrows went up and he moved toward the table, tapping his chin in thought. "He must have been on his way to Alderaan. Are there others with him?"   
  
Vader nodded. "They have somehow managed to elude us up until now, but if they don't know that the Senator is onboard, they soon will. I am confident that they will attempt an escape. Your troops can deal with the others, I will deal with Kenobi myself."   
  
Vader made a motion to leave, but the governor raised a thin hand to stop him. "You're right of course, Lord Vader. Kenobi cannot be allowed to escape. But as for the others..."   
  
Leia glanced around Vader's form to look at the governor. What could he be planning?   
  
"If they managed to free the senator, they would surely head straight for the Rebel base with the droids, wouldn't they?" The governor smiled confidently. "Yes, Lord Vader, I think we may have just found a solution to our problem."   
  
"But we cannot allow them to leave with the droids!" Leia spoke up for the first time.   
  
The governor, wisely, didn't look at her when he answered. "Why not? Do you really think they hold any threat to the power of this station?"   
  
Leia opened her mouth the argue, but Vader responded for her. "The Lady Darkstar is correct, Governor Tarkin. We would do well not to be overconfident."   
  
"Nonsense." The governor shook his head dismissively. "They may not return to the base without the droids."   
  
"Very well, governor." Leia thought that Vader was giving in much to easily, but said nothing. "If you will excuse us; I have a meeting with my old master that is long overdue."   
  
Leia followed Vader out, practically on his heels, brimming with curiosity over his last statement—the old Jedi had once trained Vader?—but knowing that she would never get up the courage to ask him about it.   
  
Instead her thoughts became more practical. "I must stay with the droids at all costs, my Lord. They must not be allowed to leave."   
  
"We have no choice at the moment in that. Perhaps you could hide aboard the ship..."   
  
Leia laughed. "I'm afraid that didn't work very well the first time." She was surprised at how easily she admitted her earlier failure to Vader, but he didn't seem to react.   
  
"There may be another way, however," she continued, an idea quickly forming. "But it would require some assistance."   
  
She glanced up questioningly at Vader. He nodded in response. "You serve the master, my Lady. My influence is, of course, at your disposal." 

* * *

Leia was barely settled in the cell when the sudden flurry of blaster shots began echoing through the walls. They had come. A part of her hadn't expected the governor's plan to actually work, and she hesitated a moment before reacting. Then she rushed up against the door and began pounding.   
  
"Luke!" she called out; somehow she knew it would be Luke. "Luke, I'm in here! Luke!"   
  
Unsure of whether he could hear her through the thick cell walls, she reached out tentatively for him through the force. To her surprise, she touched him immediately, and a moment later she heard scuffling at the lock of the door.   
  
Leia took a step back at the sight of the stormtrooper when the door slid back. "Luke?" she questioned, a moment before she remembered his disguise.   
  
"Arica?" he responded, as he pulled the trooper's helmet off and let it drop with a clang to the deck. "Are you alright? How'd you get here?"   
  
His obvious concern caught her off guard—she might have expected it from Chewbacca, or even the pilot, but Luke hadn't exactly been pleased with her the last time she'd seen him.   
  
"I'm fine," she insisted, a bit more harshly than she'd intended. "How 'bout I tell you the story a different time?"   
  
She pushed past him, avoiding his gaze, and moved down toward the security area. He didn't follow her.   
  
"Luke, where are you going?" she called back to him, even though she already knew the answer.   
  
"To free Senator Organa!"   
  
Leia made an impatient face, but Luke's back was to her. It would be much more difficult getting out alive if they had to lug some senator around with them.   
  
"Well, hurry up. We're running out of time!"   
  
Luke paused long enough to turn back and give her an annoyed look, then continued down the block. She turned back to the security area just as the lift doors opened and what seemed like a squadron of troopers tried to pour out at once. Unfortunately for them, they couldn't get through more than one or two at a time—easy pickings for the pilot and Chewbacca, who were crouched down behind the main console.   
  
Leia ducked down to avoid the blaster fire and moved as far down the walkway as she could, using one of the supporting struts as cover. She concentrated for a moment and one of the abandoned rifles flew down the walkway to her hand. Seeing the rifle go flying past, Chewbacca turned and roared an enthusiastic greeting to her as she began to fire. She didn't see the pilot turn around, but she could hear his surprised gasp and then a chuckle.   
  
"Were you starting to miss us already, honey?"   
  
Leia ignored the inappropriate humor and concentrated on her firing.   
  
"Well, don't act all..."   
  
Whatever remark the pilot was going to make was suddenly cut off by the sound of two loud explosions as the troopers finally got wise and blasted a larger hole in the wall. The pilot and Chewbacca immediately realized that their position was no longer secure and made a hasty retreat to the walkway, while Leia tried to cover them. They slid to a crashing stop across from her, behind the opposite strut.   
  
"This was supposed to be a private party!" the pilot yelled out, pointlessly, as he fired away.   
  
To her utter horror, Leia lost her focus for a moment. "This is not the time for jokes!" she cried, her voice touched with real anger. What had gotten into her? She _never_ lost her concentration. Never.   
  
"Well, maybe you'd prefer the company back in your cell, sweetie."   
  
"Maybe," she agreed, and then immediately cursed this second lapse. She needed to get focused back on the mission. Needed to focus on...   
  
_Damn_. "That was the only way out, wasn't it?" To her relief her voice had taken on its usual professional tone.   
  
"Unless they've started making detention cells with multiple exits."   
  
His sarcastic tone didn't bother her nearly as much this time. She found she was able to shunt it aside and concentrate on the problem at hand. Her mind flew trying to remember the basic layout of an Imperial detention cell. There would only be one exit for _people_, but...   
  
"Padmé."   
  
The word—name?—was spoken so softly behind her that she almost missed it completely. She spun around to face the speaker—not questioning how she knew that it had been addressed to her—and found the senator staring down at her.   
  
She had seen holos of Bail Organa before, glimpses really, but she was still unprepared for the man himself. In the holos he had just been another old senator, continuing, stubbornly, the empty machinations of the Imperial Senate, even as the real power shifted slowly but surely into the hands of the governors and the moffs. The man standing before her now was certainly old—looking a good ten years older than he had in any of the holos she'd seen, in fact—but he seemed far from powerless. His face, lined and wrinkled, was still strikingly handsome, and she wondered if he was one of those people who actually became better looking as they aged. The dignity and confidence he exuded was unquestionable. He was clearly one of those people who demanded, and received, respect, even from his enemies.   
  
But when Leia looked up into his eyes, she saw only disbelief and confusion.   
  
"Padmé?" he whispered again. Then his vision seemed to clear, and instead of confusion, Leia saw amazement and...recognition.   
  
"Leia."   
  
In the moment when he said her name—her _real_ name—Leia was sure that everything going on around her had ceased. There was no blaster fire, no troopers, no growls from Chewbacca, and no sarcastic remarks from the pilot. There was only the sound of her name echoing down the walkway.   
  
"Leia," the old man breathed. _He knew who she was_. But instead of anger, betrayal, or fear, Leia saw only joy in his face. A part of her whispered insistently that she should deny it, that by remaining silent she was only confirming his...accusation. But, to her shock, she realized that it wasn't an accusation at all, only an open, unprejudiced recognition. How did this man know her?   
  
"We thought you were dead. We thought you had died with your mother," he said, as though it explained everything, when in truth, it explained nothing. "Oh, child." The senator's eyes filled with moisture, and for a moment she was sure he would cry, but the tears never spilled over.   
  
Suddenly the man glanced back at Luke, as though he was in some inextricably connected to all of this. Luke only eyed them curiously as he continued to fire. When he turned back to Leia there was something strangely unreadable in his eyes. "It was Obi-wan. Obi-wan found you."   
  
Leia had an inexplicable desire to answer the man, to tell him that it _had_ been the old Jedi who had discovered her there under the floorboards.   
  
_"Are you saying, you've never met her before?"   
  
"Nothing of the sort, although I doubt she would remember our last encounter."_   
  
She wanted to tell him about the knowing glances the Jedi had given her, how he had known somehow that she was strong in the force.   
  
_"You may have reminded him of someone he once knew...someone who died a long time ago."_   
  
"Luke, now would be a good time for that brilliant escape plan of yours!"   
  
The pilot's voice suddenly pulled Leia back to reality, as three laser bolts sparked the metal wall of the walkway above them. Leia pushed all thoughts of senators and Jedi as far to the back of her mind as she could and turned back to the firefight. The troopers were still getting hit, but they were advancing inexorably just the same.   
  
Behind her she heard Luke yelling frantically into his comlink at the droids, before announcing solemnly that there really _was_ no other way out. The words were barely out of Luke's mouth when another possibility dawned on Leia. She ducked past the senator and Luke, until she reached the grating for the garbage chute. One well-aimed shot and she had it open wide enough for even Chewbacca to get through.   
  
"Luke!" she called, grabbing his shoulder firmly, practically causing him to lose his balance. "Get in there."   
  
For a moment she thought Luke might protest, but instead he nodded once and slid down feet first.   
  
"Chewbacca? I need you to go next."   
  
When the wookiee growled in protest, the pilot nudged him forward with an elbow. "Yeah, but she needs you to catch the senator when he comes down."   
  
Leia looked over gratefully at the pilot, as Chewbacca managed uncomfortably to fit his massive frame into the chute, surprised that he had picked up on her reasoning so easily. But the pilot was already crossing the walkway toward them and didn't see her expression.   
  
"Alright, your honor," he said as he slipped one of the senator's arms over his shoulders. Leia supported the old man from the other side. "Let's get you out of here."   
  
Together they lowered him as far down the chute as they could, before letting him go.   
  
"You couldn't have found a heating vent?" The pilot put a hand on her arm to help her into the chute.   
  
"Heating ducts are never built large enough for humans," she answered seriously as she moved out of his grasp. "No, you go first. I'll cover you."   
  
"I'm not even going to _ask_ how you know that," he said with a grin that she didn't return. He shrugged. "Alright, don't be too long; Chewie might start to miss you again."   
  
She didn't respond, and he was already sliding down when she remembered to call after him, before diving down herself, "Just don't shoot anything!" 

* * *

A/N: Don't worry, the rest of the DS escape _won't _be exactly like the movie!


	9. Garbage

****

Part III: The Death Star

Chapter 3 - Garbage

Han wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or completely disgusted when the hard pieces of garbage he fell on gave way slightly beneath him. He was glad that it made his landing softer, but the substance that oozed out beneath him had a decidedly rancid smell. He was about to comment on it to Luke and Chewie, who were helping the old senator find purchase on the stuff, when something large dropped on him from above.   
  
Reflexively kicking and pushing the object away, Han barely registered the fact that it was kicking him back until his hand came in contact with a well-muscled and decidedly feminine thigh. He craned his neck around enough to see Arica struggling on top of him, an arm tangled up with his legs and a knee pinned under his chest.   
  
He grinned.   
  
"I know you're happy to see me, sweetheart," he said in his most innocent sounding voice, "but isn't this a bit sudden?"   
  
Arica spun her head around to pin him with a glare, and then kneed him in the exposed area near his neck, freeing herself while he caught his breath.   
  
"...Or we could...take it slowly," he gasped out as he struggled to his feet, trying to sound annoyed but not really succeeding. Now, _that_ was the girl he remembered. At least she was reacting to him like a living, breathing being, and not like the automaton she had become in the detention area, firing away emotionlessly. She hadn't been that way on the _Falcon_. Granted she hadn't been exactly cordial with him at the beginning, but...   
  
"What are you doing?"   
  
Luke's question intruded on Han's thoughts, and he glanced up to see Arica by the door, trying to pry something off of the wall.   
  
"There should be a control panel under this. We've got to get this hatch open before they figure out where we went."   
  
Arica didn't turn around as she spoke, but her voice had taken on a very business-like tone that reminded Han eerily of a Stormtrooper. He could almost imagine the expression on her face: concentrated and emotionless. Just like it had been...   
  
Just like it had been the first time he'd seen her in the storage compartment, pointing that blaster in his face, he realized, suddenly.   
  
The metal plate fell from the wall with a snap and Arica dropped the rusted piece she'd been using as a lever. Han came up behind her, curious, as she began to punch in a seemingly endless string of numbers and symbols onto the control pad. With a final jab down, her fingers stopped flying and she stepped back, as though waiting for the hatch to slide open.   
  
Han waited expectantly for a moment, ready to be very impressed, but nothing happened.   
  
He turned to her, annoyed. She _did_ have a way out of here, didn't she?   
  
Arica blinked once, wrinkled her brow, and walked back to the panel. Han let out an impatient sigh, which she ignored, as her fingers began punching in the code—or codes—again.   
  
"Is everything alright?" Luke asked, leaving the senator with Chewie and walking over to them.   
  
Han shrugged and leaned up against the wall. "Seems like our fearless leader here forgot the secret password."   
  
Arica's lips tightened, but other than that, she had no physical reaction. "This is an Imperial override code. I know that it's current. It should work. Especially in a garbage room—not exactly a high security zone," she explained.   
  
Han exchanged a look with Luke, but neither commented. Arica was either one hell of a spy, or she was an Imperial. And he doubted the Rebels had anyone _that_ good. The only question was which side she was on _now_.   
  
When the hatch refused to open again, Arica's face took on a somewhat worried expression, but it only lasted a moment.   
  
"Give me your lightsaber, Luke," she said, holding out her hand like a surgeon waiting for the med-droid to supply the medi-cisor.   
  
Luke froze, and Han knew right away what he was going to say. "I don't have it."   
  
"What do you mean, you don't have it?" she accused, turning on him with a slight edge to her voice.   
  
"I... I left it on the ship."   
  
Arica opened her mouth, but before she could get anything out, Luke rushed to add, "I couldn't fit it under the armor... Why can't you use _yours_?"   
  
Han grimaced at the kid's gaffe, but Arica just stared at him wide-eyed. When she didn't say anything, Han did an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders and supplied, "You know those Imps, kid. They have this crazy thing about prisoners and dangerous weapons..."   
  
"Oh." Looking abashed, the kid moved back toward the senator.   
  
To Han's surprise, Arica's shoulders seemed to slump a bit as she watched Luke walk away.   
  
"So, on to plan C?"   
  
Arica brought a hand up to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. "Just be quiet for a minute so I can think, alright?"   
  
Han bristled. "Hey, last I checked _we're_ the ones who just broke _you_ out of a detention cell. So quit the little princess act, will you?"   
  
"Well, I didn't see you coming up with any..."   
  
Arica's response was cut off by a low moaning sound that echoed loudly in the room.   
  
"What was that?" Han asked no one in particular.   
  
Luke suddenly jumped to one side. "Something just moved past me. I think there's something..."   
  
Arica took a step to him. "Be careful, Luke. Get into the middle of the... Luke!"   
  
Han froze in shock, staring at the empty spot where the kid had been standing a split second earlier.   
  
"Luke?!" The senator dropped to his knees, clawing at the garbage desperately. The thought that he seemed too frantic for someone who had only just met the kid, flew through Han's mind, but he dismissed it and began calling out Luke's name, as well.   
  
Suddenly there was a blur of movement beside him, and—before he could get out an arm to stop her—Arica dove passed him into the sludge.   
  
"Leia... no!"   
  
"Arica? Luke?" Han briefly considered diving in after them, but couldn't even figure out where they were. How could she just throw herself in like that? Who _knew_ what had gotten Luke?   
  
"Leia... Luke!"   
  
Did she have any idea what she was doing? Or had she just... And who the hell was _Leia_?!   
  
And then, out of nowhere, they were back. Wet and slimy—and in Luke's case, slightly blue—but alive. Han, Chewie and the senator all descended on them, pulling them up out of the liquid and onto the more solid pieces of garbage.   
  
"What happened to y... Hey!" Han managed to grab Arica this time before she got by.   
  
"Take care of Luke. I've got to get us out of here. Now." Her face was expressionless, but Han could see the desperation in her eyes. He nodded and let her go, turning back to Luke.   
  
"Are you alright?" the senator asked, as Luke's breathing started to return to normal.   
  
Luke continued rubbing his neck, but he nodded. "Yeah. I'm not sure why it let me go..."   
  
"How are you, Leia?"   
  
"Fine," Arica—Leia?—answered shortly, working frantically over the console again.   
  
"Arica, what's going on?" Han pressed. He had a very bad feeling about this...   
  
She didn't stop what she was doing, but, to Han's surprise, she answered him. "That was a Dianoga. They feed on basically anything, so they..."   
  
She was interrupted by a loud rumbling from beyond the walls. Han inched toward her. "So why didn't it have you and Luke for lunch?"   
  
He thought he could hear her cursing softly.   
  
"Arica..."   
  
"It probably dove down to get out of the way."   
  
Something knotted itself tightly in the pit of his stomach. "Out of the way of what?"   
  
Arica dropped her hand and turned around to face him. But as soon as the walls started moving, there really wasn't anything for her to say.   
  
"We're in trouble," he stated.   
  
She nodded back at him in agreement.   


* * *

Leia allowed the despair to take hold for only a few moments as she viewed the immediate and frantic reactions of her companions. Luke shrieked into the commlink, but static seemed to be the only response he could get. Chewbacca tried vainly to brace the walls with strong metal beams, but as soon as the walls moved a little further, they snapped like twigs. The pilot had an arm around the senator's waist, trying to keep the older man from slipping beneath the garbage, while yelling out directions to Chewbacca.   
  
It didn't take any great familiarity with Imperial garbage compactors for Leia to know that nothing in there would be strong enough to hold back the walls. Their only realistic hope was the droids and Luke didn't seem to be having any more success with that. There was only one option left.   
  
Her master.   
  
Ignoring the shouts around her, she steadied herself against the hatchway and closed her eyes. Her ever-present connection to her master was like a living thing. It stretched and contracted, pulsating and breathing with the darkness of his presence. It took only a touch to access, but even that simple touch opened her up to a strength that was devastating in its power.   
  
Still somewhat aware of her surroundings, she reached out with the force to sense the mechanism that controlled the walls' relentless movement. Submerging herself more deeply into her master's power, she moved it along the mechanism, trying to find some way to stop its motion completely. She had succeeded in slowing it long enough to halt it momentarily, when a sharp pain wrenched her back from her trance.   
  
She must have cried out, because when she opened her eyes, everyone else in the room was looking at her in alarm. The pilot reacted first, dropping the senator's arm and rushing to her side.   
  
"What were you doing?" he demanded as he freed her foot from between the two pieces of garbage that had been crushing it. "You've got to stay on top of it!"   
  
"Did it stop?" she asked, still somewhat dazed.   
  
"The walls?" He stood up and held her by her arms, picking her up completely for a moment before setting her back down again. "They stopped for a second... Didn't you see?"   
  
She shook her head. "I have to go back."   
  
"Go back... Go back where? Arica?"   
  
Her attempt must have drained her more than she thought, she realized, as she tried to focus on what the pilot was asking her.   
  
"Chewie!" the pilot called back to the Wookiee. "Chewie, help out the senator... I know, but it's not working, so do something constructive for a change."   
  
Chewbacca's responding roar turned into a whine of fear, as the walls broke yet another pole.   
  
Then the pilot's attention was back on her. "Arica." He gripped her arms firmly. "Did you make the walls stop before?"   
  
Leia managed to nod.   
  
He breathed in sharply and cursed in disbelief, before shaking his head in resignation. "I might just be losing my mind, but we haven't got much of a choice right now," he mumbled to himself, before shaking her lightly and forcing her eyes to make contact with his. "Listen, Arica. I'm right here. I'm going to make sure that you don't get hurt. But I need you to close your eyes and... and do whatever you did before again. Alright, honey?"   
  
Leia squeezed her eyes shut and found, to her surprise that the pilot's large hands on her arms and warm breath on her face made it easier, not more difficult, to concentrate.   
  
Opening the contact this time almost immediately, she discovered that she didn't have to search for the mechanism again. The force focused her senses there and she began again the slow process of stopping it. Stopping it was one thing, she realized quickly, keeping it stopped was quite another. She would have to halt it at its source to really be sure of success.   
  
But she found herself hesitating. It would require yet more help from her master, and, while part of her craved the closer connection—wanting only to lose herself in the darkness and never return to her limited and inadequate self—another part of her always feared that her own individuality, her own personality, might just be utterly consumed.   
  
At the moment, there was no other choice.   
  
Instead of allowing the darkness to seep into her slowly, she allowed it to come crashing in, and for a moment she forgot her purpose. The power... the power was astounding. She could do anything, to anyone. Tiny points of light distracted her for a moment, piercing the thick veil of blackness that surrounded her. Her only desire at that moment was to extinguish them. They seemed in their very existence to mock her strength. Then one light seemed to grow brighter, it seemed to be consciously invading her insulated cocoon. It swirled together with her darkness, as though unsure of where to go. A tendril of darkness licked out at the light, pulling it in, trying to make it burn with its own intensity, to make it its own. But some part of her mind rebelled suddenly, pulling back, pushing away the darkness. She recognized that light.   
  
"_LUKE!_"   
  
A strong arm held her tight, a hand caressed her forehead, then her cheek. A deep voice was speaking to her, yelling a name. Whose name was that? And there was another voice, even louder, screaming words she couldn't even understand at first.   
  
"Luke, stop!" The screaming continued, and then stopped abruptly. Her throat felt somehow sore. Had she been the one screaming?   
  
"Arica! Arica, talk to me! Arica!" The other voice, the deep voice, broke through finally. He was yelling at her. Arica, she was Arica.   
  
No.   
  
Her eyes opened, and she found herself staring into a pair of hazel spheres. Who was he? A pilot. He was a pilot. He knew her and he was worried about her. It was all that mattered at the moment.   
  
"Leia," she said, but it came out hoarsely, as a whisper. "Call me Leia."   
  
"Leia," he complied, almost immediately.   
  
"Make Luke stop. He can't help. Tell him he can't help."   
  
The man nodded. The pilot. What was his name? Didn't he have a name?   
  
It was suddenly very important for her to know.   
  
"Who are you?"   
  
"Han," he answered quietly, confused.   
  
"Han," she repeated, and plunged back into the darkness.   


* * *

"Luke? Hey, Luke!"   
  
It took a few shouts to finally get Luke turned around to face him.   
  
"What?"   
  
The kid had a worried expression on his face—not exactly a surprise, given their current situation—as he glanced back and forth at the walls that had begun slowing again. Han shifted his arms around Arica—_Leia_—and stepped closer to the center of the room.   
  
"Were you doing something just now, or is she just losing it completely?"   
  
"I... I don't know." The fear disappeared from Luke's face, and was replaced by a reflective expression. "I tried to help her, through the force..."   
  
"Yeah, well, apparently it didn't work. So quit it."   
  
Luke opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the weak voice of the senator.   
  
"Is she a Jedi? Has Obi-wan already trained her?" He glanced back and forth between Han and Luke, expecting a response.   
  
"Hey, don't look at me. I thought the girl's name was Arica till a minute ago."   
  
Leia groaned quietly in his arms, and he brought a hand up to her cheek. He wasn't sure why he thought it would help, but she did seem to calm somewhat, and a moment later the walls ground to a halt. Han stared at them in amazement for a moment, before glancing back at Leia. Sweat had started to bead up at her hairline and above her upper lip. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her brow furrowed in intense concentration.   
  
She looked so old. As if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.   
  
But in his arms her body was small and light. The body of someone who had been a little girl not so long ago. She should still be a kid, he realized, bright-eyed and naïve, giggling over some adolescent boy with her friends at a slumber party. He doubted she knew what a slumber party was. Doubted she had ever had a crush—or friends for that matter. Doubted she had ever been naïve. Doubted that she had ever gotten the chance to be a child.   
  
And, yet, the child was still there. Somewhere, hidden deep inside. He'd gotten glimpses of it on the _Falcon_. He could almost have sworn she was having fun, but even then there had been something—a hesitation in her step, a faltering in her smile—that set her apart from the rest of them.   
  
The buzzing sound of a comlink being activated broke in on his thoughts.   
  
"Threepio? Threepio, is that you?"   
  
Han's eyes widened when the droid's snooty voice answered.   
  
_Well, I'll be damned,_ he thought. They might just get out of this alive after all.   
  
"Listen to me, Threepio. I need you to open the maintenance hatch on..."   
  
"366-117891," the senator, who stood closest to the hatch with Chewie, supplied.   
  
"Have you got that, Threepio?"   
  
"Yes, sir."   
  
A moment later, the hatch opened with a pop and a hiss. Han let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and, on impulse, let out a whoop.   
  
It was apparently loud enough to pull Leia back to consciousness, because in the next moment her eyes were blinking up at him. And, as if a switch had been thrown, the walls began moving in again.   
  
"Out, out! Everybody get out!" Luke yelled, practically pushing Chewie ahead of him, with the senator.   
  
Leia just looked up at Han, confusion plain on her face. He grinned down at her and swung her body up into his arms.   
  
"Hope you had a good rest, sweetheart," he said, as he moved quickly to the hatch. "I think you're gonna need it."   
  


* * *

A/N: I figured that this scene deserved its own chapter, so...

Padme - Since this won't be explained until _much_ later, Vader didn't recognize Leia as his daughter in this story for the same reason that he didn't recognize her in the movies. He doesn't expect there to be a daughter. Remember that he doesn't see Leia until she is 13 or 14 in this story and he automatically--and rightly--assumes that it is mostly a test from his master.


	10. Escape

Part III: The Death Star

**Chapter 4 – Escape**

"What now?"   
  
Han didn't turn to Luke as he asked the question, but Luke understood that it was addressed to him. All the same—and probably not surprisingly—Arica answered instead.   
  
"Just give me a minute and... and I'll try to figure out where we are." Her speech was still somewhat slurred, but at least she was making sense now.   
  
Luke's eyes swept the corridor they were in, while Han, Chewie and the senator all hovered over Arica. To his relief, he noticed a layer of dust over everything. Clearly this corridor had rarely, if ever, been used. Chances were that it would take some time for the troopers to figure out where they were.   
  
"How do you feel?" the senator was asking.   
  
"I'm fine. Just... just give me a minute." Arica didn't seem at all comfortable with the attention she was getting, and edged back slightly every time a concerned hand touched her. The senator was either ignoring this or simply didn't notice, and he gripped one of her hands with his own, a concerned look on his face. Luke thought about going over to help, but a part of him was still offended by the way she had rejected his assistance in the refuse unit. Besides, there were more than enough of them helping her now.   
  
The scene was almost amusing, Luke had to admit. A wookiee, a hardened smuggler, and an elderly senator—who looked like he was about to collapse any moment himself—all fretting over one girl, who was probably some sort of a spy.   
  
Luke still couldn't figure out who Arica was. He couldn't even figure out what to _call_ her, for that matter. There were so many things pointing to the fact that she must be an Imperial. Her defensive reaction when they found her on the _Falcon_; her knowledge of the station; the fact that she had tried to keep the droids; that override code she knew off the top of her head... But at the same time, there were so many other things that seemed to prove just the opposite. Both Ben and the senator seemed to know her; she had tried to save them on the _Falcon_; she had been detained in a high security cell; she had helped them escape from the troopers in the detention area; and she had just saved all of their lives in that refuse unit. If she was an Imperial, then she could have turned them in at any time, why string them along like this?   
  
Unless, she belonged to some other third party. Not the Empire, or the Rebellion, but some other group that wanted the droids and the plans they held for their own purposes.   
  
Luke supposed it made the most sense, though it didn't explain everything, like her knowledge of that Imperial code. Then again, maybe she was just an Imperial trying to defect, but how would Ben or the senator know her?   
  
Luke shook his head. He didn't know nearly enough about the galaxy to even attempt unraveling the mystery of Arica Lafeila, or whatever name she was going by at the moment.   
  
"Luke?"   
  
"Yeah?" Luke turned to see Arica standing, supported somewhat by Han and Chewie.   
  
"Why don't you try contacting the droids? Maybe they can figure out where we should go."   
  
Luke nodded, somewhat embarrassed not to have thought of this idea himself. But when he finally roused Threepio, the droid informed him that they had been forced to leave their former location, and were currently searching for another terminal. They wouldn't be able to provide any information until then.   
  
Luke sighed and closed the link with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders at his companions. Arica had already pushed Han away, and was now trying more subtly to extricate herself from Chewie's grip.   
  
"I suppose this means that you don't know your way around this place," Han told her dryly.   
  
"No, I don't," she admitted. "But assuming it's similar to most Imperial vessels, I should be able to get us back to the ship."   
  
"And what about Obi-wan?" the senator asked.   
  
"He was going to try to disconnect the tractor beam."   
  
"I thought the old man's name was Ben," Han said, incredulously. "Is _everyone_ here going under aliases?"   
  
Ignoring the comment, Arica straightened herself up, brushing some trash off the uniform jacket she was wearing. Even with dirt and grime smudged onto her face and clothing, she was still beautiful, Luke thought, in awe.   
  
"Alright, let's try this way." She pointed in one direction down the corridor, and when nobody moved she started off on her own. Leaving the others to catch up with her.   
  
"_Try_?" Han mumbled as he fell into step beside Luke. "I've got a bad feeling about this, kid."   
  
Luke had to agree. 

* * *

As soon as they reached the dead end, Luke turned around to glare at Han. He had been the one to choose that last turn, so as far as Luke was concerned this was his fault. Han's face contorted a bit and he looked like he was about to say something to defend himself, when Arica walked in between them.   
  
"At least now we know our position in relation to the ship," she said.   
  
Han's eyebrows raised and he shot Luke a smug expression. "See, I told you Corellians have a great sense of direction."   
  
Luke rolled his eyes, but decided not to comment. Instead he followed Arica's lead, down a nearby corridor. She had barely taken two steps, though, when she stopped. Han walked briskly around the corner past her—ignoring her staying hand. A moment later, the hallway erupted in blaster fire, and Luke could hear Han's voice yelling out nonsense.   
  
Luke immediately ran to help, only to find Han barreling away from them down the hallway, in hot pursuit of a squadron of troopers.   
  
"Han, what are you doing?!" Luke yelled.   
  
"Get going, I'll meet you at the ship!" Han called back over his shoulder, barely slowing.   
  
Chewie let out a roar and went pounding after him.   
  
"Wait. Chewbacca! Han!" Arica's voice sounded almost desperate. "Han!" She tried one last time, then took a step to go after the two.   
  
"Arica, no!" Luke cried, grabbing her arm to hold her back.   
  
"They're going to get themselves killed!" she challenged.   
  
"I know, but two more of us won't make a difference. We've got to get the senator out of here."   
  
She glanced over at the senator, who stood, not looking at all well. When she turned back to Luke her expression had changed; she was all business.   
  
"You're right, let's get going."   
  
She took off at a brisk pace in the opposite direction. "This way," she directed.   
  
Luke shrugged his shoulders, doubting that she had any idea where she was going. Regardless, he didn't have any better ideas.   
  
"Do you want to lean on me, sir?" he asked the senator, who hadn't started moving yet.   
  
"No, I'll be all right," the senator said. "I simply don't have as much energy as I once did."   
  
Luke nodded sympathetically, and they started off after Arica together.   
  
Ten minutes later, when Luke was sure that they were hopelessly lost, Arica halted abruptly in the hallway and spun around, motioning for them to get into a narrow access hallway. But they barely had time to react when two troopers came around a bend at the end of the corridor and noticed them.   
  
They turned around and ran back the way they had come, cringing as the sound of alarms filled the hallway. They were halfway back to where they had left Han and Chewie when Arica skidded to a stop, pulling the senator after her into another hallway.   
  
"Where are we going?" Luke asked, as he followed them.   
  
"Look at the floor," she explained, pointing down at the uniform gray metal.   
  
"What about it?"   
  
"It's getting darker."   
  
Luke looked down again, noticing for the first time that the color of the metal deepened as they went further down the hallway. "What does that mean?"   
  
"It means that it's getting denser—it's blast resistant."   
  
"And this is good because..."   
  
"This hallway must lead down to the arsenal. It'll have the strongest blast doors in this place. While they're trying to get in, we can get out the crawlspace."   
  
"What crawlsp..."   
  
Luke was interrupted by the clanging of metal covered feet in the hallway. Immediately, all conversation stopped. They were getting closer.   
  
After what seemed like an eternity, they reached a huge set of doors. Luke's heart felt like it might jump right out of his ribcage, as Arica punched in a series of numbers on the control pad.   
  
What if they couldn't get in? he wondered.   
  
The echo from the troopers was getting closer and closer, until Luke was sure they were done for.   
  
Abruptly the doors slid open.   
  
Even the senator found the energy to run to get in. Arica pounded the control panel on the inside closing layer after layer of blast doors.   
  
"Now, fry the controls," she told Luke, and he immediately obeyed.   
  
By the time he turned away from the panel, Arica was on the other side of the room, craning her neck, searching for something on the ceiling.   
  
"Where's your crawlspace?" he asked.   
  
"Hold on," she said. "Hold on... Here it..." Her voice trailed off ominously.   
  
"What?" Luke asked. "What now?"   
  
"This can't be happening," she responded in a monotone, not comforting him in the least.   
  
"What? What can't be happening?"   
  
"There's supposed to be a ladder! What idiot built a crawlspace into an arsenal without a ladder?!"   
  
"Arica?" Luke stepped over to her and twirled her around by the shoulders. "Where is there supposed to be a ladder? And why is this bad?"   
  
Arica sighed but, in spite of her tone of voice, she looked utterly unaffected by the situation.   
  
"The opening to the crawlspace is in the ceiling," she said bleakly, pointing up at a thin, rectangular seam in the metal of the high ceiling. "There should be a ladder to get up there." She paused. "There isn't."   
  
Luke let go of her shoulders. "This is bad."   
  
"Yes, it is," she agreed. 

* * *

A loud clanging echoed into the room from outside, distracting Leia from Luke's glum expression. More troopers were probably on their way, and it wouldn't take them long to start melting the blast doors through.   
  
"Can't you use the force to get up there?" the senator asked, softly.   
  
Leia shrugged. "I could jump up there easily, but it'll take a minute to activate the opening latch. I don't think I would have enough time to do it."   
  
"Why can't you activate the latch from down here first?" Luke asked, jumping on even the slightest possibility.   
  
"I'll try, but I don't think I can do it." She sighed. If only she had more powers... if only Luke had more training.   
  
"You managed to stop the walls," Luke challenged.   
  
Leia considered that for a moment. Could she call on her master's power again? She touched experimentally at their connection, but her body immediately sagged, weakened by even that small touch. That last exchange in the garbage room had really drained her, physically and emotionally, there was no way she would be able to repeat it now.   
  
"I... I can't. I've never been good with fine control..."   
  
She trailed off, at the expression on Luke's face. He was counting on her, she realized. He really believed that she would get them out of this.   
  
_Why are you trusting me?_ she almost wanted to scream. Surely he knew what she was. How could he not know?   
  
Luke turned away from her suddenly at the sound of more scrabbling at the door, followed by a high pitched hissing sound. The three of them watched silently for a few moments, then Luke abruptly turned back to her, grabbing her arm.   
  
"Do it," he told her, in a commanding tone.   
  
"I can't..." she began to protest.   
  
"Do it," he repeated.   
  
Leia stared at him. He almost made her believe that she _could_ do it. But she couldn't ignore the facts. She simply didn't have enough power for it. Maybe if Luke had...   
  
A thought suddenly dawned on her. "Help me."   
  
Luke loosened his grip, puzzled. "What do you mean?"   
  
"Between the two of us, maybe we can get it opened," she explained.   
  
"But before... when I tried to help..."   
  
Leia shook her head. "This is different."   
  
She could see the question in his eyes, but, thankfully, it disappeared. She didn't want to have to explain it right now.   
  
He nodded once. "What do I do?"   
  
Leia paused. She'd never really worked with anyone but her master before, so she wasn't quite sure where to start. Finally, she let instinct take over.   
  
"Here, hold my hands," she instructed, internally questioning whether the physical touch would really help much.   
  
Luke quickly moved his hands to grasp her much smaller ones. Glancing down at their joined hands, Leia was surprised to discover how comfortable she felt gripping his warm, callused hands. Was this the force's way of telling her that she was going about this the right way, or was it something altogether different?   
  
She looked up and saw Luke smiling softly at her. Had he felt it too? she wondered, before giving him a quick grin back.   
  
"Now, close your eyes," she said, doing the same herself, "and reach out with your senses to the crawlspace."   
  
She imagined the crawlspace opening in her mind's eye. Almost immediately, she felt the brush of Luke's light against her, and she tried melding their powers together. They slipped into each other's senses almost seamlessly. Leia acknowledged this, but it didn't surprise her; she had known somehow that they would.   
  
The internal mechanism of the latch appeared with surprising clarity to them both. Almost as a single being they reached out to turn the tiny gear, keeping the latch in place. Then they moved back to the opening itself. Leia was never quite sure which of them initiated the move, in spite of the fact that Luke shouldn't have know the sequence of steps.   
  
With a single thrust through the force, the small door burst open into the crawlspace above it. At the same moment the temporary bond between herself and Luke broke.   
  
She glanced, confused, at Luke and followed his distracted gaze to the door. Tiny wisps of steam had appeared at its edges. It wouldn't be much longer now.   
  
She dropped Luke's hands without so much as a second thought, and began searching the room.   
  
"What are you looking for?" Luke asked.   
  
"A rope or cable... Something that we can use to lift the senator up with."   
  
"Oh." Luke began searching on the other side of the room.   
  
"Leave it be." The senator's voice suddenly halted their frantic rummaging.   
  
"What do you mean?" Luke asked.   
  
The senator looked at him, a small smile on his face. He reminded Leia for a moment of the old Jedi, in spite of how very different they looked.   
  
"You two go. Leave me here."   
  
Luke gaped in shock. "No!"   
  
"Listen to me," the old man insisted. "My life is not worth the risk of yours. It never has been. I'm glad that I was given the chance to have seen you." He glanced back to Leia, and she understood that he was speaking to both of them. "I know now that our cause _will be_ victorious. Leave now. You must."   
  
Leia stared at him, a myriad of thoughts and emotions churning through her, but one question rose above all the others. _Who am I?_ she almost yelled, but her tightly held control prevented the words from slipping out.   
  
He was right, of course, her only chance of saving Luke was to leave him here.   
  
"We can't just leave you here," Luke insisted, though.   
  
"Luke, he's right," Leia said, softly. "We have to get out of here."   
  
"Not without him."   
  
Luke's tone left little room for argument, but Leia was not about to back down.   
  
"Do you want all three of us to get blasted?!"   
  
"No, but there must be another..."   
  
Luke's face seemed to suddenly light up. Leia stood by, puzzled, as he began pulling and pushing at the various compartments of the stormtrooper's utility belt that he still wore.   
  
"Yes!" he cried, in triumph, as one of the compartments popped open to reveal a long thing coil of cable line.   
  
Leia opened her mouth in disbelief. She should have thought of that.   
  
The surprise lasted less than a moment, though, and then she was back into action, grabbing at five nearby rifles, unhooking their straps.   
  
With a few words to Luke, they both set to work fashioning a makeshift harness around the senator, whose protests were completely ignored.   
  
A small white circle had appeared at the center of the blast door and was slowly spreading out, replaced at the center by a reddish spot.   
  
"Alright," Leia said, "we don't have much time. Luke, I'll give you a boost up there, but when you feel like you're about to start falling, try pushing back against the ground with the force."   
  
She laced her fingers into a step and rested them above her knee. Luke nodded and took a two-step bounding start before planting his foot on her hands and pushing off. At the same moment, Leia pushed up at him physically and through the force. His arms and legs flailed ungracefully, but he shot through the opening of the crawlspace, with room to spare. On his way back down, he grabbed at the opening with his hands and pulled himself inside.   
  
Leia let out a small sigh of relief, when his face appeared at the opening, grinning.  
  
She rolled her eyes; he had enjoyed that far too much. "Now send down the cable, Luke."   
  
When the tiny white line had been uncoiled far enough, she deftly slid it through the harness, tying it in the most secure knot she could manage.   
  
She was about to jump up to join Luke, when the senator's large hand fell softly on her shoulder.   
  
"Your mother would have been so proud of you, Leia."   
  
Leia's breath caught in her throat. The idea of _having_ a mother had never crossed her mind, let alone one who might somehow be _proud_ of her. If only the old senator knew, she thought.   
  
"Th-thank you," she said, anyway, avoiding his gaze.   
  
In a single graceful motion, she found herself next to Luke. The two began pulling the senator up almost immediately, using their physical strength, the force, and sheer determination.   
  
By the time they had him up there, their hands sported long red welts. They ignored the pain, though, and quickly slid the door back in place.   
  
"Do we know where we're going now?" Luke asked, glancing uncertainly up and down the seemingly endless stretch of ladder, above and below the large landing they were situated on.   
  
"Two floors down, right, then left," Leia responded, unconsciously motioning with her hands. "I don't know the exact route, but that should get us close enough to figure it out."   
  
Luke nodded, an impressed expression on his face.   
  
"Do you think you can make the climb, sir?"   
  
The senator looked up, still somewhat winded from their run through the halls. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" he said.   
  
Leia shook her head. "Not really," she agreed.   
  
Less than a minute later, when the troopers finally broke through the blast doors into the arsenal, the three escapees were half-way down to the next floor. Too far away to hear the explosion. 

* * *

"Are you sure you know where we're going?"   
  
Leia was suddenly very happy to have the senator leaning on her; he was the only thing keeping her from shoving Luke into the wall. The boy was wonderful, but if he asked her that one more time, she might have to hurt him.   
  
Instead of trying to explain the logic of the route they were taking as she had the previous times, she bit out a quick "no" from between clenched teeth.   
  
To her utter astonishment he seemed to accept this and for the next few minutes there was no sound other than their own heavy breathing.   
  
Considering his age and what he'd been through in the past hour—not to mention whatever else he'd gone through in interrogation beforehand—the senator was holding up reasonably well. At least he was still on his own two feet. But since the climb down the ladder, he had been leaning on Luke and Leia heavily as they made their way through the maze of corridors. They had hit a few dead ends, but Leia was fairly sure that they were still headed in the right direction. The rising ceiling only confirmed this; they had to be getting closer to the hangar.   
  
At the end of a long corridor, Leia suddenly sensed danger and pulled up immediately, pushing Luke and the senator against the wall and aiming her newly acquired rifle at the sharp turn they had been about to take. The nose of a blaster appeared, and both Luke and Leia were about to fire, when a loud growl stopped them short.   
  
"Chewie?" Luke called out.   
  
For a moment Leia tensed nervously, her finger still pressed lightly against the trigger. She wasn't quite so ready to believe that their companions were still alive.   
  
But Luke's faith was borne out when a huge hairy form suddenly blocked her view. Leia let out the breath she had been holding in a loud gasp. Chewbacca responded by howling in pleasure and wrapping her in a wookiee-hug that was just a bit too tight for comfort. All the same, she found herself smiling when he let her down to go after Luke... smiling right into the eyes of Han Solo.   
  
"You're alive," she breathed in disbelief, trying to remember in the back of her mind how she knew his first name. He hadn't been introduced that way, had he?   
  
"Last I checked," Han answered, looking at her for another moment with a wide grin on his face, then rolling his eyes at his co-pilot, who was currently pumping the senator's hand enthusiastically. "Alright, alright, Chewie. I'm sure the man would like to keep his hand."   
  
Chewbacca growled in protest, but dropped the senator's hand all the same.   
  
"What took you so long?" Han asked as he led them around the corner to a small alcove, opening into the hangar bay.   
  
Leia glanced at Luke, who shrugged and left the answer to her. "We had some trouble getting a door open," she answered innocently.   
  
Han looked at her incredulously, as Luke stifled a laugh, but Leia ignored both of them and looked out at the hangar bay. The _Millenium Falcon_ rested where they had left it—open, but with no outward sign of tampering. Of course, Leia knew that a tracking device had most likely been planted, but that wouldn't prevent their escape. A still functioning tractor beam might, however.   
  
"How are we going to get past all of those guards?" Luke asked.   
  
"I suppose Han could run at them, screaming, like..."   
  
Leia trailed off as soon as she sensed him. He was here, nearby. And his anger and hatred was overflowing in a way she had rarely felt. Her eyes scanned the room and immediately found him. His red saber flashed brilliantly against the drab background, interrupted only by the bright blue of the Jedi's saber as it crossed and intercepted his strikes. Vader was slowly backing the Jedi toward the docking bay, each lunge and parry bringing them further into view.   
  
Leia stood transfixed. She had rarely seen Lord Vader use his saber—he had more personal and far more effective weapons at his disposal—and even then she did not remember _ever_ seeing him in a saber duel. Only the Jedi used lightsabers, and the Jedi were gone.   
  
Or so she had thought.   
  
This old Jedi, this ancient relic, this anomaly, had survived. He had survived and—inconceivable as it was to Leia—he was holding his own against Lord Vader. A man she had always considered, deep in her heart, to be the most powerful man in the galaxy. The man she had so intensely envied and admired. The only man who could... the man who _would_, one day, destroy her master.   
  
He could not die.   
  
All thoughts of her companions flew from her mind and, grabbing her rifle, she took a step to join the fight—to kill the Jedi if she had to. A strong hand on her arm was all that stopped her.   
  
"Hey!" Han yelled, when she tried to twist out of his grip. "There's nothing you can do to help him. Now's our chance to get to the ship."   
  
He motioned with his head at the freighter and Leia noticed for the first time that the guards had abandoned their posts to surround the Jedi. Luke was already almost half-way across the bay with Chewbacca not far behind, practically dragging the senator along.   
  
With a last look back at the combatants, Leia turned and ran with Han. A moment later, something hit her strongly through the force. She stumbled and nearly fell, but caught herself in time to see Luke abruptly change directions, firing at the troopers.   
  
Without a second thought, she went after him, firing to cover them both.   
  
"Luke!"   
  
"Ben!" Luke cried.   
  
Leia glanced over to see that the duel was over, the Jedi was nowhere in sight. Vader must have killed him, she realized, as she tried to grab at Luke. He seemed intent on going straight for Vader, though.   
  
"Luke, let's go. It's over!" She managed to catch hold of his belt and pulled at him to get back.   
  
"No! Ben!"   
  
A brief, but intense moment of pain surged through Leia, and she felt her fingers slipping. Suddenly Luke's expression changed, however, and with a few parting shots he ran—allowing Leia to guide him up the ramp and onto the ship. 

* * *

**End Part III**

A/N: Sorry, Ben still had to go L

Jacinto: Hmmm.  I have to think about that one for a while longer.  You may be right—Obi-wan wouldn't have allowed himself to connect so intimately with the rest of the galaxy if he was trying to hide, so what _would_ he look like?  I was trying to go for the idea that even though he doesn't have as much _potential_ as Anakin or Luke, he is (through training) far more connected to the force in actual fact.  I'm not sure how to paint that distinction as well as keep in mind the fact that he's hiding.  I'll have to think about it some more.


	11. Interlude

**Interlude: The _Millenium Falcon_**

Leia found Luke sitting on the deck beside the senator's bunk. The senator had lost consciousness soon after the jump to hyperspace and Chewbacca had brought him to what passed for the med unit on the ship. She stood by the hatch for a while, just watching Luke. He sat with his legs drawn up, his head resting on his knees and his arms crossed over his head. The soft, ragged breathing of the senator was the only sound in the room.   
  
"That was some nice shooting back there," she said finally.   
  
Luke lifted his head just high enough to see her and said, "Thanks," unenthusiastically, before lowering it back again.   
  
Leia shifted her feet uncomfortably, not sure why she had felt the need to find him in the first place, and even less sure of what she was supposed to say to him now that she had. But his expression just now was so... _tired_. He looked defeated.   
  
"I... I just wanted to... thank you for saving me back there," she said, uncertainly.   
  
Luke shrugged and didn't answer. Leia glanced over at the senator, hoping to get some inspiration, but none came. She had never done anything like this, but had some sense that in order to make him feelbetter she needed to know what was wrong.   
  
_Only one way to find out,_ she decided.   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
Luke's head jerked up completely this time. "Excuse me?" he asked.   
  
Leia hesitated. He was staring at her with a strange expression on his face—as though she had either grown a set of antennas or mortally insulted him. "What's wrong?" she asked again, though more softly this time.   
  
"What do you _think_ is wrong?"   
  
The expression on his face was clear now. She had offended him. How, she didn't know, but she _did_ know that she didn't like to be spoken to as a child.   
  
"If I knew, I wouldn't have _asked_ you," she answered, sharply.   
  
Luke stared at her for a moment longer, and then cradled his head in his hands, shaking it back and forth slowly. Leia almost yelled at him, but bit back the reaction and tried to calm herself down. She hadn't come to fight with him.   
  
"Are you still upset about your master?"   
  
Luke abruptly stopped his shaking. "My what?"   
  
"Your... your master," she repeated. "The old man..."   
  
Luke lowered his hands slowly to his knees and stared intently at them. For a few moments, Leia didn't think he would answer.   
  
"Yes," he said, quietly.   
  
"You couldn't have helped him, you know."   
  
Luke nodded his head, still not looking at her. "I know." He paused. "I just can't believe he's really gone."   
  
"How long was he training you?" she asked, not sure what else to say.   
  
Luke moved over closer to the wall and glanced up at her, motioning with his head to the vacated space. "Only since I met you. The trip here, that's it."   
  
Leia lowered herself to the ground and crossed her legs in front of her. "Had you known him for long before that?"   
  
Luke shrugged and leaned his head against the wall. "I don't know. 'Old Ben' has been around for as long as I can remember. I always liked him." He grinned softly, more to himself. "But I didn't have much to do with him before. He kind of kept to himself, far out in the desert."   
  
"Oh." Leia wondered if talking about the old Jedi was the best thing to do. Wouldn't it just make Luke more upset? "Well, I'm sure you'll find another master."   
  
Luke turned to her slowly, a puzzled expression on his face. "I'm not just upset because he can't train me anymore."   
  
Leia looked away uncomfortably. Why was he looking at her like that? "You don't need him to take care of you," she pointed out.   
  
Luke opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again and turned away before speaking again. "I don't _need_ him, I _want_ him," he said slowly, as though this were something obvious. "He was my friend."   
  
"But you barely knew him."   
  
"So?"   
  
"So how could he be your friend?"   
  
"You can be friends with people you haven't known for a long time." He glanced over at her. "I barely know _you_."   
  
Leia turned away and tried not to think too much about what that last statement meant. It had sounded like he considered her a friend, but she knew that couldn't be true. He didn't even trust her.   
  
"So much has happened over the last few days, I guess I'm just overwhelmed," he said suddenly, surprising her. She hadn't been expecting him to volunteer such private information. She tried to ignore the small voice in the back of her head that told her, _Friends talk about private things_. She had always been taught never to admit weaknesses.   
  
"Were they your parents?" When Luke looked over, confused, she added, "I saw the farm after you left."   
  
That probably only left him with more questions, but Luke didn't bother asking any.   
  
"They were the closest thing I ever had to parents."   
  
It was Leia's turn to be confused. "What do you mean?" Either they were his parents or they weren't. It was a simple yes or no.   
  
"I mean, they took care of me like parents." It was clear that Luke didn't think this should have to be explained.   
  
"Yes, I'm sure you did a lot of work for them on the farm."   
  
Luke stared at her incredulously. "That's not why they took care of me."   
  
"Then why?"   
  
She was worried that she might have really angered him, but decided not to back down. If he saw reason, then maybe he wouldn't be so sad.   
  
When he spoke next, though, it wasn't in anger.   
  
"You don't have parents."   
  
It wasn't a question so Leia didn't bother answering.   
  
"Don't you have anyone who cares for you?"   
  
"Yes," Leia said, thinking immediately of her master. He had always taken care of her. Given her food, clothing, training...   
  
"Why do they care for you?"   
  
She shifted position on the floor. She didn't want to tell him too much. "I'm in charge of... certain things for him."   
  
It was clearly not the answer he had been expecting. He was silent for a few moments. "And you don't think he would care for you otherwise?"   
  
"No." Leia didn't even feel traitorous saying it; her master would never have expected her to feel differently.   
  
Luke was staring at her in utter shock, however.   
  
"What?" she asked, defensively.   
  
"Isn't there anyone else? Anyone who really cares about you."   
  
"I just told you, he _does_ care for me."   
  
"That's not caring about someone, that's using them."   
  
Leia blinked. What was the difference?   
  
"Don't you have anyone that cares _about_ you? Really cares about you. Someone who does things for you, just because it's you, not because they need you for something."   
  
Leia tried to think back to all of the caretakers and trainers she'd ever had. Going through them one by one in her mind, trying to remember something _any_ of them might have done just for her and not out of fear for her master. But she couldn't. They had all had ulterior motives, and that was just as true in the underworld of crimelords and bounty hunters she sometimes descended to for a mission.   
  
"No. I've never had anyone like that." She leaned her head back against the bunk and, as a stray memory popped into her head, she suddenly thought of Lord Vader.   
  
It had been four or five years ago, after one of her earliest missions, but she still remembered being surprised to find that Lord Vader was in charge of her extraction. Her master had sent Vader often enough, but only after the most dangerous of missions, usually when she was injured. But this time it had been a fairly straightforward information-gathering mission. It hadn't exactly been pleasant, but she had never been in any real danger.   
  
From the moment she stepped onto Vader's ship, however, she had been hustled quickly into the med unit for an examination, by a young officer who seemed highly offended to have been given such a task. She didn't even see Vader until the exam was nearly over. He had walked in, taken one look at her and ordered the officer out of the room.   
  
Leia had gotten up to leave. "I'm perfectly healthy, my lord, the examination is over."   
  
Vader ignored her, calling over the med droid with a small gesture. "You will perform an internal examination of the patient. Check for any diseases... and do a pregnancy test as well. If anything is found, destroy it."   
  
Leia froze as the droid rolled about gathering instruments. She opened her mouth to protest, but knew that it was necessary.   
  
Vader stepped closer to her. "If you are ever sent on such a mission again, my lady, _you_ will request the appropriate examinations."   
  
Leia nodded, embarrassed that she hadn't done so. "Yes, my lord," she said quietly.   
  
The droid moved into position to begin its examination and Vader turned to leave. Before Leia could even think of what she was doing, she grabbed onto the edge of his glove.   
  
"Is there a problem, my lady?" Vader asked, as coldly as ever.   
  
Anyone else—and Leia herself, at any other time—would have forgotten their request immediately. But Leia only gripped the leather more tightly in her hand. She glanced with terror at the med droid, its cold, metallic instruments laid out neatly before it.   
  
"Please, my lord," she had begged in a hoarse voice. "Please, don't leave..."   
  
Vader never answered her. His expressionless mask stared down at her for what seemed like an eternity, then he silently positioned himself beside the exam table, facing away from the med droid.   
  
"You may begin the examination," he ordered without glancing back.   
  
Leia had relaxed for a moment relieved not to have been left alone with the droid, but she immediately tensed up again as it poked and prodded, sliding instruments in and out of her without any attempt at gentleness. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated instead on the steady sound of Lord Vader's breathing, his dark presence standing beside her, his anger boiling beneath the surface. She opened her eyes and stared at Vader. He was not looking at her, but she could sense his anger increase each time she let out a moan of pain or discomfort. But the anger wasn't directed at her, it was directed at the droid, the ship, the planet she had just left, nameless others, and... her master.   
  
Somehow, at the time, it had comforted her. Knowing that he wanted nothing more than to pull them all apart with his bare hands, she wasn't at all afraid. She was comforted.   
  
"Arica?"   
  
Luke's voice intruded suddenly on her memory.   
  
"What?"   
  
Luke looked at her strangely. "Are you alright? You dozed off for a minute there."   
  
"Just tired, I guess," she mumbled, distractedly.   
  
"I'm sorry that I've been rambling on, maybe you should go get some rest, while we still have time."   
  
Leia nodded. It would be best to be well-rested when they arrived at the rebel base, who knew what would happen then. "I'm sorry about Ben and your... your parents," she said, uncomfortably as she rose to go.   
  
"I'll be alright," he answered, then smiled. "You _do_ understand, don't you?"   
  
Leia shrugged, suddenly remembering her reaction when she thought that Vader might die. "Maybe a little," she admitted. "Maybe a little."

* * *

Han had been standing silently in the hallway for a good few minutes, trying to remember why he had left the cockpit in the first place, when Luke suddenly appeared.   
  
"Where'd you come from?" Han asked, turning quickly to an electronic panel so that he at least _looked_ like he was doing something.   
  
"I'm trying to find Arica," Luke answered. "She went to rest, but I figured she might want to be up when we landed."   
  
"You'd better hurry," Han advised. "We're going to be entering the atmosphere any minute now. The old man's talking to the welcoming committee as we speak."   
  
Luke looked up at him, puzzled. "Then shouldn't you be in there?"   
  
"I'll be in there when I need to be in there, kid. I've got plenty of time."   
  
Luke shrugged and moved past him toward the cockpit. "If you see Arica..."   
  
"Yeah, I'll wake her for you," Han said, distractedly. He needed to figure out why he came out; he didn't have a lot of time before landing.   
  
As soon as Luke was out of sight, Han dropped his hands from the panel he'd been fiddling with and began walking slowly down the hallway, hoping that something would jog his memory.   
  
"Deflectors, scanners, boosters..." he mumbled to himself, as he strolled absently into the lounge. Tapping each console as he passed it, he continued his mental checklist. "Compensators, fuel..." He paused, noticing one of his flight gloves lying on the deck. "Flight gloves," he murmured, grinning, as he bent to retrieve it.   
  
As he stood up, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to find Leia curled up in a fetal position on one of the benches. For a moment, he just stood there watching her. He found himself amazed that someone so small could have such a powerful personality. And she did. There was no doubt that whenever she opened her mouth, the focus was on her. And there was also no doubt that she had been taking up a considerable amount of his thoughts on this trip.   
  
Han took a step closer to her. She must have re-done her hair at some point, because it was done up as securely as it had been when he'd first seen her. He was somewhat disappointed. He'd been hoping that a strand would come loose completely so that he could tell how long her hair was. At the same time, it gave him an unobstructed view of her face. She _was_ very pretty. Give it a few years and she might even be beautiful.   
  
Of course, he reminded himself, he wasn't going to give it a few years. As soon as he got that reward he'd been promised, he was high-tailing it out of there. The senator could get himself killed with the Rebels if that's what he wanted. He wondered for a moment if Luke might consider joining up with him and Chewie. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but he had liked having the kid around. But Luke wasn't going to leave the Rebels, he knew, especially not after the Empire had done in the old man.   
  
As for Leia... Well, he would _definitely_ not mind having her around, but she wasn't going to be able to escape whatever was going on with her by bouncing around the stars with a couple of smugglers.   
  
He took another step forward to wake her up, then hesitated. She looked far from peaceful even in sleep, but her features had softened somewhat and—without her eyes to betray it—he could almost believe that she _didn't_ know more about security codes and weapons than anyone her age should. He could give her a few more minutes, he decided, she didn't need to wake up quite yet.   
  
Almost in response to his thoughts, however, he suddenly heard the tiny shift in the hum of the ship's engines that announced their entry into the atmosphere. He had to get into the cockpit.   
  
Quickly covering the distance between them, he was about to tap Leia on the shoulder, when suddenly his breath seemed to leave him. Everything was a blur for a moment, but when he came back to his senses he found himself on his knees, gasping for breath as something pressed in hard on either side of his throat.   
  
Staring down at him was Leia, her face intent, but her eyes emotionless. He tried to say her name, but couldn't get anything out, while her thumb and two fingers squeezed even harder.   
  
Then, just as suddenly as she had attacked him, she pulled her hand away. Han dropped forward onto his hands as he got his breath back.   
  
"Don't sneak up on me like that."   
  
Han looked up in shock. Was she annoyed with him? _He_ was the one who had almost been strangled!   
  
"Next time," he said hoarsely, "I'll let Luke wake you up himself."   
  
"Luke?" she said almost fearfully, as her eyes swept the room.   
  
Han cleared his throat one last time and got to his feet. "He wasn't in here," he said softly. "He didn't see anything."   
  
"Oh," said Leia. Han could see the relief in her eyes, before she closed them and sank back to the bench she had been sleeping on.   
  
Han crouched down in front of her, ignoring the voice in the back of his head reminding him what she had just done.   
  
"Are you alright?" he asked.   
  
She opened her eyes to look at him and Han could tell that something was very wrong, but she nodded.   
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Did I hurt you?"   
  
She reached out tentatively for his throat, but only grazed it lightly with her fingertips. Han was suddenly very much aware of how close they were to each other.   
  
"Not much," he managed to say, even though his voice seemed to have gone hoarse again. "I might have a couple of bruises and probably a phobia of waking up sleeping beauties for the rest of my life. No big deal."   
  
Leia rewarded him with a small smile, which just managed to reach her eyes. "I didn't mean to... I'm usually more aware of things when I wake up."   
  
Han waved off her apology with a grin. "Listen, we're all kind of jumpy right now. Chewie almost ripped my arm off when I stepped on his toe before."   
  
The small widened. "Somehow I doubt that."   
  
"Hey, you've never seen a Wookiee with a stubbed toe. Not a pretty sight, I can tell you."   
  
One of Leia's cheeks dimpled near her eye and Han felt his heart skip a beat. He hadn't noticed _that_ before.   
  
The smile faded somewhat though, and Leia looked at him seriously. "Thank you for staying behind for me... in the hangar bay."   
  
Han shrugged, feeling uncomfortable, and stood. "Well, next time you go tearing off to fight Darth Vader, warn me first."   
  
"You knew who he was," Leia said, standing as well.   
  
Han nodded. He didn't exactly keep up with the latest figures in the government—he didn't think he'd ever heard of the senator—but he'd seen holos of Darth Vader before. The man was hard to forget.   
  
Leia looked down for a moment, then back up at him. She seemed to be struggling with something. Finally, she took a deep breath and began, "I wasn't going to..."   
  
A roar echoed down the hallway, interrupting her. "We're going to be landing any minute," Han interpreted Chewie's yell. "I need to get in there to..."   
  
Han's eyes went wide as he suddenly remembered why he had come out in the first place. He turned and tore out of the room, into the hallway.   
  
"What's wrong?" Leia called as she followed.   
  
Han manually pulled off a panel and was hurriedly rerouting power from the hyperdrive. "Repulsors," he explained through gritted teeth as he clicked the cable into place. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the energy gauge rising.   
  
When he turned to look at her with a grin, she had her mouth open. "We could have gotten killed trying to land without repulsors," she cried in shock.   
  
Han shrugged and grinned wider at her expression. "Well, it _would_ have been kind of bumpy," he told her, as he rose and walked casually away. 

* * *

End Interlude 

A/N: Fourth and final part starting next!


	12. Revelations

**Part IV: Yavin IV**

Chapter 1 - Revelations 

Leia had been expecting a welcoming party—a few generals, maybe, and a med-droid—but she _hadn't_ been expecting what looked like _all_ of the medical personnel on the entire station. As soon as the ramp was down far enough to jump on, they descended on the senator like a flock of janos, some shaking his hand, some asking about his injuries, one went so far as to start checking his vital signs. At first he nodded to all of them politely, trying to answer all the questions that were being asked at once. But finally he turned to Han with a look of pleading on his face.   
  
Han didn't even hesitate; Leia guessed that he had been wanting to do this all along. He stepped in front of the senator, physically pushing away two concerned well-wishers and announced at the top of his lungs, "**Get off my ship!**  Every last one of you!"   
  
The people froze for a moment, not moving, until Chewbacca let out a very dangerous sounding roar. A few seconds later, the ramp was clear.   
  
"Thank you very much to you both," the senator told them. "I wasn't sure if we'd ever get out of here."   
  
"Any time," Han said with a shrug. He still looked somewhat miffed at the intrusion on his precious ship. Leia could sympathize. If she had her own ship, she wouldn't want anyone to set foot on it without permission, certainly not an over-enthusiastic horde of rebels. Of course, her master wasn't going to give her a ship any time soon so it was futile to...   
  
Her master.   
  
Rebels.   
  
Damn.   
  
What was she doing here?   
  
_Getting the droids, Leia, getting the droids._   
  
Leia nodded to herself. Right. Getting the droids. For her master.   
  
She moved aside, letting the senator, supported by Han, descend the ramp first. The old man was looking much better than he had on the ship. She supposed that he could be putting on a façade of well-being for the sake of the watching rebels. The thought that he was a very good leader flitted through her mind and then disappeared. She needed to focus back on her mission. Getting the droids.   
  
Her mind already began forming a plan. The Death Star would be upon the rebels within the next few hours and Leia had no doubt that the base she was on would be annihilated as completely as Alderaan. So she needed to find a way off.   
  
She glanced down at Chewbacca, who was following Han and the senator down the ramp. The rebels seemed to be giving them all a wide berth, she noticed with a grin.   
  
Han, she realized. Han wasn't going to stick around for any battle. He would get his reward and get out. Wouldn't he?   
  
Upon reflection, she wasn't quite so sure. The man had surprised her often enough on this trip to make her wonder whether he might not just stick around and help out.   
  
No, he would go. He had to.   
  
And he would take her along if she asked. He had a soft spot for her, she could tell, and even if not, Chewbacca would strong-arm him into it. Literally, if necessary. She grinned to herself; well, maybe not literally.   
  
There was a shuffling movement behind her and then a tap on her shoulder. She turned back.   
  
Luke.   
  
"Are you going?" he asked, impatiently.   
  
She glanced over his shoulder at the droids. "No, that's okay. You go first," she told him, turning to stay closer to the two robots.   
  
Luke planted his hands on her shoulders and turned her firmly back around. "I don't think so, Arica."   
  
Instead of sounding guarded or suspicious, or even annoyed, Luke sounded amused. Leia glanced at him in surprise and found him grinning at her.   
  
"I think _I'll_ stay with the droids," he said with a wink.   
  
Leia opened her mouth to say something—she didn't know quite what—but Luke gave her a gentle shove from behind, and it took all of her finely-tuned balance and grace to keep from stumbling down the ramp.   
  
_What was that about?_ she wondered. Did Luke know? If he did, then why didn't he say anything to any of the rebels? And _why_ did he find it funny?   
  
It was almost as though he thought she wouldn't really go through with it, or didn't really want to.   
  
Well, he would get a shock when she left with the droids, she thought, resentfully, as she settled into one of the waiting landspeeders next to Chewbacca. Of course, now she would probably have to convince him to leave with them, since he obviously wasn't going to let her alone with the droids. Or maybe just knock him out. Then she could leave the convincing and drag him along whether he liked it or not.   
  
_Or leave him behind,_ a small voice reminded her, but Leia shrugged it off. What a waste for someone like Luke to die along with the rest of the people on the station.   
  
She glanced around the hangar, at the rebels hurrying about. It was very different from an Imperial base. There was less structure—not all the soldiers even had uniforms, and they certainly weren't marching—and more clutter. She had to stifle a chuckle as a young woman tripped over a stray piece of equipment and into the arms of a surprised, but very pleased looking, mechanic. The man let one of his hands "accidentally" brush below the woman's waist, before he let her go, leaving the faint mark of a greasy hand print on the back of her coverall.   
  
They all seemed so young and so... _alive_, though they couldn't be much younger than most storm troopers. It was their faces, Leia realized, she could see their faces and it made all the difference.   
  
And there were women. While some of them certainly earned a few appreciative glances, they all clearly had jobs and walked purposefully about. As their speeders neared the end of the hangar where a group of three older, robed men stood anxiously waiting, Leia caught sight of a girl, not much older than herself, speaking seriously to two young men. They seemed to be disagreeing with her about something, but with a few emphatic words from the girl that Leia couldn't hear, the men nodded at each other and then at her. They spoke for a moment more and went their separate ways.   
  
Leia's eyes followed the girl for a few moments, amazed. She was probably one of the highest ranking women in the entire Empire and no one other than Vader had ever treated her with _anything_ bordering the type of respect those men had given that girl. She wondered what, if anything, that meant.   
  
The speeder carrying the senator and Han stopped suddenly in front of them. She watched as the senator got out slowly, with help from Han and one of the robed men. The two older men embraced briefly but seemed to quickly get down to business. As her own speeder stopped, the senator was gesturing toward the astromech droid in Luke's speeder. A group of engineers rushed over with a wave from the robed man and began to carefully carry away the droid. The protocol followed along, voicing concerns over his counterpart that Leia tuned out. She needed to stay with them somehow. She needed to...   
  
She turned to find that Luke had stepped over to help her get out of the speeder. He had a look of warning in his eyes and she ignored his offered hand in annoyance.   
  
By the time they reached the group of men, the senator was introducing an embarrassed looking Han Solo with enthusiasm.   
  
Leia did a double-take. Embarrassed? Han Solo? She almost laughed out loud and, based on the looks that Han was shooting at Chewbacca, she had to assume that the Wookiee's barked comments were no better than her own thoughts.   
  
The senator turned quickly to introduce Chewbacca, who took the accolades in stride. An anxious medical officer tried to step in, reminding the senator that he really should be in the medical facility.   
  
"Just a moment, just a moment," the senator said with a smile. "Then you can poke and prod me all you like."   
  
Leia didn't notice his gaze on her until his hand pulled gently on her arm. She looked up in surprise, wondering what the old man was doing.   
  
"And Commander, these are the people to whom I truly owe my life. You may recognize them," he added with a grin.   
  
His arm went around her shoulder and Leia was shocked to see an intense pride in his eyes. He was going to introduce her, she realized. This man, who knew her true name, was going to introduce her to one of the leaders of the Rebellion! But before she could open her mouth to protest, the senator continued, cutting her off. "This, Commander, is Leia Skywalker."   
  
Leia's mouth opened and closed, silently, in shock and confusion. Skywalker? Her name wasn't...   
  
But the senator was either ignoring her bewilderment or simply didn't notice. He reached past her and drew Luke close. Leia barely had time to register the fact that Luke's face had gone pale and his eyes wide, when the senator added softly, "And this, is her brother, Luke."

* * *

Leia said nothing. There was nothing _to_ say. She couldn't even think straight.   
  
Should she deny it? Did she _want_ to deny it? It wasn't true. It simply couldn't be.   
  
But he had sounded so sure and he had known her name... Her first name, at least.   
  
_Leia Skywalker_.   
  
Maybe it was her name. Her _real_ name. The one her mother, _Padme_, had given to her.   
  
Or maybe he was wrong. Mistaken. Lying, even. He was a leader of the Rebellion, after all. Who knew what he was capable of?   
  
Could he be feeding her false words, trying to turn her into a traitor?   
  
She focused back on the senator. He wasn't even looking at her. He seemed completely oblivious to what she was going through. The medical officer was speaking insistently from behind her and the senator--standing very unsteadily--nodded finally, with a look of resignation on his face, and was led away.   
  
Leia continued to stare at the spot where he had been standing, until her eyes refocused and she found herself staring straight at Luke.   
  
"So when were you two going to let us in on this little tidbit?"   
  
Leia heard Han's remark. She even noticed the slightly hurt tone in his voice. But she couldn't think about it now. She could only think of Luke.   
  
Luke was still staring at her and the look in his eyes was... What was it? Shock, anger, disbelief? She wished she knew what he was thinking.   
  
"Luke?" she whispered.   
  
Luke closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, he seemed to be seeing her for the first time.   
  
"Is it true?" he asked.   
  
Leia opened her mouth to answer, but stopped, knowing she didn't have one. But he was looking at her as though she would know, as though she would explain everything.   
  
"I... I don't..." She couldn't continue. What did he expect her to say?   
  
Luke continued staring at her, as though waiting for her to finish. When he realized that she wasn't, he took on a hurt expression.   
  
"Is your name really Skywalker?" Luke asked, brusquely.   
  
Leia found herself becoming annoyed with Luke. Who was he to get upset at _her_? She hadn't done this to him. This was happening to her as well.   
  
"No," she answered, the annoyance clear in her voice. "Not that I know of anyway."   
  
Luke's eyes flashed. "Not that you _know_ of?!" He turned away from her and ran both of his hands roughly through his hair. He seemed to be taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.   
  
But Leia wasn't willing to let him do it. "Listen," she said, stepping toward him and grabbing his shoulder. "You know very well that I don't have parents, so stop acting like I'm being purposely evasive!"   
  
Luke spun back around and nearly caught her off balance. "Do I? Do I know that?"   
  
He moved close to her and Leia took a step away. She didn't bother answering his question; she couldn't answer it, really.   
  
Luke didn't seem to be expecting an answer, however. "From the moment I met you," he continued, stepping toward her again, "you've been lying. You lied about who you are, why you were with us. You wouldn't even tell us your real name!"   
  
Leia tried to stand her ground, but found that she didn't know how to deal with a furious Luke. He wasn't going to hit her, wasn't expecting her to hit him, but that didn't make the confrontation any less pleasant. In fact, it put Leia on decidedly unfamiliar ground. She took another step back.   
  
"You followed us off Tatooine. You snuck away on the battle station. You knew some high level Imperial security code. You haven't taken your eyes off the droids the whole trip. You... you... **_Who are you?!_**"   
  
Luke had continued advancing on her, till Leia backed herself into a solid form and had to stop. Two hands came up to rest on her shoulders from behind. Han.   
  
"Luke, I think that you need to calm down," Han said, his voice surprisingly calm, but with a hint of a threat in it just the same.   
  
"We have a right to know who she is, Han. This has gone on long enough." Luke's voice had calmed down, but Leia could sense the anger boiling just beneath the surface.   
  
"You're right," Han agreed, still calm.   
  
Leia closed her eyes. No, this wasn't happening. She couldn't tell them, she _couldn't_.   
  
Han pressed down on her shoulders and she turned to face him. Anything was better than Luke right now. Han held her at arm's length, his hands still on her shoulders and waited till she looked up to meet his gaze.   
  
"Is your name Leia?" he asked, when he had her attention.   
  
Leia barely hesitated; she had basically admitted to it by answering to the name in the first place. "Yes," she answered.   
  
"Alright," Han encouraged her with a squeeze on her shoulders. "Now, is your last name Skywalker?"   
  
"No," Leia answered, just as quickly.   
  
"Have you ever used the name Skywalker as an alias?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Do you know anyone named Skywalker?"   
  
Leia hesitated; she was usually good with names, if she had heard of someone named Skywalker, she was sure she would be able to remember them. "No," she decided, finally.   
  
Han nodded and looked steadily at her. She could tell that the next question would be important. _Don't ask me my name,_ she begged silently. It went against everything she had ever been taught as an agent to reveal her full name.   
  
"Is it possible that Skywalker could be your real name?"   
  
Leia's relief that he hadn't asked about her name was overwhelmed by the implications of his question.   
  
"Yes," she said, very softly. "It is possible."   
  
Han gave her a small grin and released her shoulders. He turned to Luke. "I suppose that your last name _is_ Skywalker."   
  
Leia turned back hesitantly to see Luke nodding. All of his anger seemed to have disappeared.   
  
"Alright, kid. Is it possible that you might have a sister that your parents forgot to mention?"   
  
Luke ignored the sarcasm and nodded again. "Yeah, it's possible."   
  
"Now what?"   
  
The question took both Leia and Luke by surprise. They had both been expecting Han to somehow miraculously solve the mystery for them, but it seemed that his mediation was done. It was up to them now.   
  
They turned to each other again. Luke took a hesitant step forward, as though expecting her to back away again, but this time Leia allowed him to get close. Encouraged, Luke reached for her hand and—to her own surprise—she let him take it.   
  
"Ari... Leia," he corrected himself. "Leia, is it true?"   
  
Leia's eyes widened in shock. They were right back at the beginning. Only this time Luke wasn't challenging or accusing her.   
  
"I don't know, Luke."   
  
Luke looked down at their hands. "But what do you think?" He looked back up at her. "What do you _feel_?"   
  
Leia couldn't say anything for a moment. She could only stare into his eyes. Those blue eyes that had seemed so familiar from the moment she met him. Why hadn't she realized that then? His hand grasping hers—it felt so right, so comfortable. She _had_ noticed that before. That, and the way their force senses seemed to meld together so effortlessly. As though they were two halves of a whole.   
  
"Yes," she said softly, as her eyes filled with tears, knowing that it didn't answer any question he had asked. "I think... I feel... It's true."   
  
She could barely make Luke out through the tears in her eyes, but she knew that he had nodded, that he was smiling. And she smiled back. 

* * *

The medical officer, who had the misfortune—as he was quickly discovering—of being stationed outside of the senator's room, was polite, sympathetic, understanding and absolutely no help at all. Even a few thinly veiled, but rather creative threats from Han and Chewbacca failed to convince him to let them in. The senator had just been sedated and there were strict orders not to rouse him for anyone less than General Dodonna himself.   
  
After a few more attempts with what seemed to be the officer in charge—Leia found it hard to tell—Luke and Leia convinced Han that they could wait. For some reason Han was more insistent about the senator telling them the whole story than they themselves were. Leia couldn't figure out why. Eventually he went off with Chewbacca, mumbling something about a reward.   
  
Which left Leia alone with Luke. They looked at each other uncomfortably for a while, making stilted conversation about the ships they saw.   
  
Suddenly, Luke grinned at her. "We both love flying. Does that prove anything?"   
  
Leia looked out at the pilots and technicians moving about. "Us and about half of this station." She turned to smile at him. "I don't think so, Luke."   
  
He shrugged. "Oh well, it was worth a try."   
  
There were a few moments of comfortable silence, before she heard Luke take a deep breath and turn to face her.   
  
"Maybe... maybe we should talk," he said, hesitantly, as though he were asking her something shocking.   
  
"We _are_ talking."   
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "I mean, talk about... us. Whatever _us_ is."   
  
Leia felt something tighten in her chest. How much would she have to tell him?   
  
_Nothing. You don't have to tell him anything. He is nothing to you._   
  
But she knew it wasn't true. She hadn't really needed to talk to the senator to confirm his statement. She believed—she _knew_—absolutely that this boy was her brother. It was one of the few things she felt sure about at the moment.   
  
"Privately," she answered finally. "Where no one else can hear us."   
  
Luke nodded. "Any ideas of where?"   
  
"Yes. Follow me."   
  
She found the row of storage closets again quickly. One door was open and showed a clear amount of space at the front of the room. She slipped in and activated the lights, while Luke followed her and shut the door behind them.   
  
"How did you know about this place?" Luke asked, clearly surprised.   
  
"I noticed it on the way back from the medical facility. We passed right through here. You must have seen it too."   
  
Luke laughed. "I must have, but why would I remember it?"   
  
Leia didn't have an answer. She had always been taught to notice and remember everything about her environment. Who knew what could come in useful?   
  
Luke wasn't waiting for an answer, though. He was looking at the piles of crates around them. After a moment he pulled two of the smaller ones down and arranged them across from each other. When he was done, he glanced up at Leia and the two of them sat down facing each other.   
  
Leia composed herself for the interrogation she was sure would follow. "So, what do you want to know?" she asked, looking intently at her hands.   
  
After a moment, Luke answered, "I don't know. What do _you_ want to know?"   
  
Leia looked up in surprise. She had been expecting him to take control of the conversation.   
  
"Oh," she managed.   
  
Luke laughed nervously. "Look at us. We don't even know what to ask each other."   
  
Leia smiled at him, but couldn't bring herself to laugh. She was trying to pin down just one of the questions that was swirling through her mind.   
  
Luke spoke first however. "Well, what do you know about your parents? I mean, your _real_ parents. Our parents."   
  
Leia thought about it, trying to recall any snippet of conversation she might have overheard that dealt with her parents. She couldn't think of anything. "I don't know anything. Except, I guess our last name is Skywalker, since the senator thought we were both called that." She motioned toward Luke with her hand. "What do _you_ know?"   
  
Luke shook his head. "I'm not even sure what I know anymore. Our father's name was Anakin Skywalker..."   
  
"Was our mother Padmé?" Leia interrupted him, remembering the senator's first reaction to her.   
  
Luke seemed at a loss, however. "I don't know. I don't think anyone ever told me her name." He rubbed his forehead. "I don't know why it never occurred to me to ask." He looked at her closely. "Padmé? Where did you hear that?"   
  
"The senator, Organa. When he first saw me he called me Padmé. I guess maybe I look like her. I think that might be how Ben recognized me too. Vader said I..."   
  
Luke's face suddenly went red. "Vader?"   
  
"Darth Vader. Do you know who he is?"   
  
Luke's blue eyes seemed to turn icy. "Yes, I know who he is. How do _you_ know him?"   
  
Leia hesitated. This would be the time to tell him, if she was going to do it. But she had already decided to do it, she knew. The senator might be lying to her. Han and Chewbacca might be lying to her. But Luke was not lying to her. He was probably the first person in her life she absolutely believed. His sincerity practically oozed out of him. He wasn't lying, so she wouldn't lie to him.   
  
"Luke," she said softly. "Luke, I'm an Imperial."   
  
To her surprise, Luke's expression softened. He did not seem at all angry, or even surprised. "I know," he said. "I figured you must be. Or had been."   
  
"I guess I was pretty obvious," Leia acknowledged.   
  
"Just a little," he agreed with a grin. "Did Ben know?" he asked, more seriously.   
  
Leia shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess so; he seemed to know everything else about me."   
  
"And that's how you know Vader."   
  
"Yes."   
  
Luke stood up suddenly and moved over to the door. He stared at his feet for a few moments, then he turned back to her, leaning against the door. He had pulled his lightsaber out and was rotating it in his hands slowly.   
  
"I was always told that our father, Anakin Skywalker, was a spacer. Uncle Owen said that he was a navigator on a freighter. But he was lying, I think. Ben said that he was afraid I would go off and get myself killed like my father had."   
  
Leia found herself entranced. Luke seemed bitter that his uncle had lied, but she could see that he understood on some level. Owen cared about him. He had cared about Luke enough to lie to him in order to keep him safe. It wasn't an idea that Leia had ever come in contact with.   
  
"He was a Jedi Knight," Luke continued suddenly, surprising Leia. "That's what Ben said." He motioned with his saber. "This was his lightsaber." Luke hesitated, eyeing her. "Maybe you should take it. You know how to use it."   
  
Leia shook her head decisively. "No, he gave it to you, didn't he?"   
  
Luke shrugged noncommittally, but he hooked the saber back to his belt.   
  
They were both silent for a moment. Leia tried to weave together all the strands of fact and fiction she'd been told and suddenly something slipped into place.   
  
"Vader killed him," she said.   
  
Luke nodded, not looking at her. "He was Ben's student, but he used his training for evil. He betrayed our father. He killed him." He paused for a moment. "He killed Ben, too, didn't he? That was Vader."   
  
Leia nodded her head numbly. It made sense, it all fit. "On the station, Vader said that Kenobi had been his master once." She added, "He also said that I might have reminded Ben of someone."   
  
"Did he say who?"   
  
She shook her head. "No. I asked him, but all he said was that it was someone who had died a long time ago. I guess he meant Padmé."   
  
"I guess," Luke agreed with a shrug.   
  
And that was all, Leia realized. Between the two of them, all they could piece together about their parents were a few names, an occupation, and a death. It felt like something precious had been stolen from them. Their lives, their family, their very identities. And they didn't even know who to blame.   
  
_She_ didn't know who to blame. Luke blamed Vader, that was clear. Vader had killed their father, so Vader was to blame. But Leia understood that it wasn't so simple. Even if Vader had killed Anakin Skywalker—and she didn't doubt that he had—he wasn't the main catalyst. Anything dark, anything evil, originated from one source as far as she was concerned.   
  
She did know who to blame.   
  
Her master. 

* * *


	13. Reunions and Farewells

Part IV: Yavin IV

**Chapter 2 – Reunions and Farewells**

Luke tugged self-consciously on one pant leg and looked up at Leia with raised eyebrows.   
  
"So, what do you think?" he asked.   
  
"Well, if you crash land in the jungle we won't need a flare to find you."   
  
Luke scowled at her. "Funny."   
  
Leia turned away from him with a laugh. "Come on. Let's go find Han and..."   
  
"Why? So that he can tell me again what an idealistic idiot I'm being?"   
  
Leia stiffened slightly next to him, but she continued walking. He moved quickly to catch up to her.   
  
"You're not being an idiot, Luke," she said softly. "Idealistic, yes, but not an idiot."   
  
Closing his eyes briefly, Luke considered whether or not he should pursue the subject with her. They had been getting along so well that he didn't want to wake sleeping banthas, but he didn't want to leave without saying anything.   
  
"So, if I'm not an idiot," he began, "then why don't you come along?"   
  
He tried to gauge her reaction out of the corner of his eye, but outwardly there was nothing. Nothing but a few moments of silence around them as she looked everywhere but at him.   
  
Finally, she exhaled loudly. "We already went through this, Luke."   
  
"No, _you_ went through it," he corrected her. "You wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise."   
  
Now she did look at him. "What would be the point? You made it very clear what you think."   
  
Luke breathed deeply. _She's your sister. Your **sister**. You're about to go into a battle. Don't go angry,_ he reminded himself.   
  
"I'm sorry, you're right," he said finally. "I just don't understand it."   
  
The _Millenium Falcon_ had just come into view and Luke could easily make out Chewie, even through all of the people running back and forth between them. He picked up his pace a little; he did really want to say goodbye to Han. A hand on his arm stopped him short, though.   
  
Leia was standing next to him, facing the _Falcon_, but not really looking at it. She seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle.   
  
"I know it doesn't make sense, Luke," she said, still not looking at him. "But I can't just go up there and fight the Empire. There are other things. Things I haven't told you about. I can't..."   
  
She trailed off and finally looked at him. There was pleading in her eyes.   
  
_Pleading for what?_ Luke asked himself. But he knew. She just wanted him to accept it. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that.   
  
"So, tell me, Leia. Just tell me."   
  
Leia shook her head, almost fearfully. "No. Don't ask me that, Luke, please."   
  
Luke couldn't bring himself to press her any further. She had to have a reason why she was still being secretive, but it didn't make it any easier for him to understand. He just stood looking at her.   
  
She sighed and closed her eyes tightly. "This... you can't tell anyone this, Luke, not anyone. I shouldn't even tell you, it's dangerous for you to know."   
  
Luke nodded, but didn't back down. With obvious reluctance Leia moved to stand very close to him. She hesitantly brought her arms over his shoulders and pulled him into a loose hug.   
  
Confused, Luke decided to go along with whatever she was doing and brought his hands around to rest on her back.   
  
_I work for the Emperor._   
  
The voice was so soft that at first Luke was sure that he heard it in his mind. But he realized quickly that Leia's mouth was pressed closely to his ear. She was whispering so low that no one else could possibly hear.   
  
"I know that." He tried to say it quietly, but it still sounded like a yell compared to Leia's soft whisper.   
  
_No. All Imperials work for the Emperor, but..._ she paused here and he could feel her face turn away from his for a moment. Then the tiny voice was back. _I work for the Emperor directly. I'm his personal agent. He sends me out on missions for him. Missions that he wouldn't trust to anyone else._   
  
"Why you?" he asked, wincing slightly at the sound of his own voice.   
  
_I can hear him,_ she said. _I can connect to him from anyplace in the galaxy. And if he wanted to, I think that he could find me. Somehow, maybe... If I went up against him, he would know. And then he would..._   
  
He could feel Leia take a shaky breath.   
  
"Would he kill you?" he asked, desperately. "Could he do that?"   
  
Leia didn't answer him immediately. _No, I don't think he could. I could cut him off enough, I think. But... I think he could take away my power..._   
  
Luke pulled away from her suddenly and stared at her face. "So what? So you would lose your power. I don't see..."   
  
Leia's eyes burned with something that Luke couldn't interpret. "You don't understand, Luke. I'm not like you. I don't have that power. I... I would be left with nothing, Luke, nothing."   
  
"You would be free," he whispered, and this time it didn't sound loud even to his own ears. "You would be free. He's evil, Leia, what he's doing is wrong. This battle station is wrong. Can't you see that?"   
  
Tears sprang to Leia's eyes and Luke's gut reaction was to feel guilty for making her cry. But she _should_ feel upset.   
  
"I know that. I know that far better than you," she said passionately, and Luke realized that he probably didn't want to know just how evil the Emperor really was. "I'm not going to go run off to him to betray you, but I can't just cut myself off from him. At least, not yet. It's not so simple."   
  
Luke opened his mouth to contradict her, to tell her that it most certainly _was_ that simple. But something stopped him. He should try to understand.   
  
He tried to imagine what it was like for her, what it would be like to be cut off from a power that you had. What would it be like if he didn't have the force? he asked himself. But he had only just discovered the force, it wasn't exactly a good comparison.   
  
What if he couldn't fly? What if he woke up one morning, got on a skyhopper and realized that he couldn't fly anymore?   
  
Just trying to imagine it made Luke feel stifled. He _couldn't_ imagine it; it just wasn't him. A Luke Skywalker who couldn't fly just wasn't Luke Skywalker. Would he be able to give up flying for what he thought was right?   
  
_Yes!_ His immediate reaction was swift, but he wasn't at all sure that it was accurate. And Leia... Leia hadn't grown up like he had, with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru around to tell him—very clearly and under no uncertain terms—what was right and what was wrong. How could he expect her to make such a decision?   
  
He looked down at Leia. She was so tiny. He hadn't noticed it before, but standing this close to her, he realized just how small she really was. And she was his sister. He was supposed to take care of her. At the moment he was only upsetting her.   
  
"Luke?" she said, hesitantly, as though afraid of what his reaction might be.   
  
Luke smiled at her as reassuringly as he could manage and took her hand.   
  
"Come on, little sister," he said as he pulled her along beside him. "Let's go find Han."   
  
Leia raised her eyebrows. "_Little sister_?" she repeated. "Says who?"   
  
Luke chuckled but didn't bother replying. 

* * *

Han Solo was leaving and he was glad.   
  
He had gotten his reward and he was leaving. No regrets.   
  
He was going to get in his ship and fly off and he wasn't going to feel guilty. Wasn't going to worry about all the people left on this base. Wasn't going to be bothered by the thought of all the other planets facing extinction. Wasn't going to be haunted by the images of a fresh-faced farmboy and a beautiful girl whose eyes never smiled.   
  
Han slammed the next box onto the cart a little more forcefully than he'd intended.   
  
"Sorry," he mumbled distractedly, then snorted at himself. The cart didn't seem to have minded.   
  
Chewie howled something over at him, but Han was barely listening.   
  
"Just hold on, I'm getting this last one... huh?" Han's head shot up as Chewie's growls finally registered.   
  
Coming across the hangar toward them were Luke and Leia. Luke was saying something with a grin on his face and Leia was rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Luke stopped for a moment and made a motion with his hand and arm, as though he were describing the last moments of a thrilling race.   
  
_That's probably exactly what he's doing,_ Han realized.   
  
Leia had turned back to watch so that Han couldn't see her face, but for just a moment he heard soft laughter floating towards him. His heart skipped a beat. He remembered that laugh. From the _Falcon_.   
  
His story obviously done, Luke resumed his walk and Leia fell in beside him. But instead of the full smile Han had been hoping to see, she had only a bemused expression on her face.   
  
He wondered if he could get her to smile again before he left.   
  
Leaving.   
  
Han glanced over at the cart of strongboxes and started rearranging them to fit better.   
  
He was leaving and he was glad. No regrets. No guilt. No...   
  
"So you got your reward and now your leaving."   
  
Luke's voice was full of recriminations.   
  
No regrets.   
  
"That's right, kid," he agreed with a nod. "I've got some old debts to pay off."   
  
No guilt.   
  
"And even if I didn't," he continued, in a more determined voice, "don't think I'd be fool enough to stick around here."   
  
He looked up and even managed to meet the kid's eyes. He immediately regretted it. There was something about the kid that made you just want to run off and prove that you were brave and noble. By doing something stupid.   
  
He glanced over to Leia. To his surprise she wasn't beside them anymore. She had gone over to Chewie and was leaning against the other cart, managing somehow to have a conversation.   
  
Han sighed and looked back at Luke. Didn't the kid see where it was all going? They were all going to get blown out of the sky here. It wasn't worth it. What a waste.   
  
"Come on, Luke, you're pretty good in a scrape." He leaned over conspiratorially. "Why don't you come with us? We could use someone like you."   
  
Luke sighed in clear frustration and looked like he was about to lay another guilt trip on, but his eyes shifted suddenly to Leia, and instead he just shook his head resignedly.   
  
"I think I'll stick around, thanks," he responded, looking at Han again like he was trying to convince him by just staring at him.   
  
Han shifted uncomfortably. He wondered for a moment if there was some trick that old Jedi had taught the kid, but quickly pushed away the thought. Even if there was some "force," it wasn't about to make _him_ change his mind.   
  
"Take care of yourself, Han," the kid began, then shook his head. "I guess that's what you're best at, isn't it?"   
  
Han's eyes blinked involuntarily. It had been a cheap shot, but he couldn't really fault the kid for it. He was the one about to go up against that battle station for a bunch of people he'd never met.   
  
"Tell Leia that I'll wait up for her," Luke said as he backed away slowly and turned to go.   
  
"Hey, Luke," he heard himself call out, before he even realized his own intention. Luke glanced back apprehensively. "May the force be with you," Han mumbled, just loudly enough for Luke to hear, but hopefully not Chewie.   
  
To Han's relief Luke's expression shifted to something almost grateful. Han grinned at him till he turned away and then let his smile drop.   
  
Damn kid was going to get himself killed.   
  
No guilt.   
  
Han glanced down at his full cart and moved to load it onto the ship. He just barely registered the presence blocking his way. When he did, he abruptly stopped.   
  
Leia stood there with an unreadable expression on her face. Not that her usual expression was very readable to begin with.   
  
"Hey," he said.   
  
She nodded back at him. "Hey."   
  
There was a pause, then Han pushed the cart around her and toward the cargo hold. He called over his shoulder as he passed her, "We're leaving as soon as we get this stuff loaded. You coming with?"   
  
She followed after him, laying a hand on the cart and pushing with him. He didn't really need her help, but he wasn't going to complain.   
  
"You know I can't come."   
  
Han glanced at her quickly and saw that she was looking straight ahead. She seemed more relaxed than he'd seen her, not constantly aware and suspicious of every motion around her. She was by no means carefree—that he could tell in her stance. Her free hand stayed close to her side in a loose fist and she didn't swing her legs as she walked, she shifted her balance carefully, as though she were ready at any moment to dive for cover. But her head tilted slightly to one side and her bottom lip stuck out just a bit in thought...   
  
Han focused quickly back on the cart.   
  
"You're not going up there, are you?" he asked suddenly, as they reached the hold. He slid the cart onto the lift and pulled the lever to raise it.   
  
Leia shook her head. "No. I decided that it would be much easier to die down here."   
  
Han couldn't bring himself to laugh. "Come with us," he told her. "Go say goodbye to Luke, we'll wait for you."   
  
Leia turned to him with a half-smile on her face, but she looked more curious than anything. "Why?" she asked. "You don't even know me."   
  
Han shrugged. She was right, he didn't know her, but that didn't mean he wanted her to die. Of course, he wasn't going around offering all the other strangers rides either.   
  
He _felt_ like he knew her. The same way he felt like he knew Luke. He knew that she could hold her own in a battle. He knew that she would watch his back. He knew that she wanted people to respect her, she wanted people to care for her. And he knew that she had a great laugh.   
  
"I know enough," was all he said.   
  
Leia looked at him for a few moments with an expression of wonder on her face. He couldn't tell whether she was touched by his sincerity or just thought he was crazy—though he was inclined to assume it was the former.   
  
"Thank you," she said.   
  
"...But no," Han supplied.   
  
"But no," she agreed.   
  
Han nodded. He hadn't really been expecting the answer to be any different.   
  
"Alright," he said. "I guess this is it then."   
  
"I guess."   
  
"So take care of yourself ... assuming you ... you know ..."   
  
"Survive?"   
  
Han grimaced. "Yeah."   
  
She smiled. "I will. And you, take care of yourself, as well. And Chewbacca."   
  
Han snorted. Chewie didn't need any help.   
  
"And Han?"   
  
Han looked up, noting the change in her tone. Whatever she was about to say was serious.   
  
She hesitated, as though it wasn't her place to say anything.   
  
"I know you'll need to high-tail it out of here before that battle station gets in range, but ... if you could ..."   
  
"What?" Han prodded.   
  
Leia sighed and looked away from him. "If you could keep an out on the battle before you go ... on Luke ... he ... I don't think he's ever done anything like this before."   
  
Han opened his mouth to tell her no, absolutely not. They didn't want to be anywhere around when that station dropped out of hyperspace, but suddenly she turned back to him and caught his eyes with her own.   
  
He closed his mouth again and swallowed hard. Her eyes didn't look anything like Luke's, but he could see that same almost imperceptible persuasiveness in them.   
  
"I ... I'll see what I can do," he said, finally. Then he lifted a finger in warning. "But I'm not promising anything, alright?"   
  
"Of course not," she said, but her smiled seemed to say otherwise. "Thank you, Han, for everything."   
  
She touched his hand lightly, briefly, and Han could feel himself started to melt.   
  
"Yeah, fine," he growled. "You'd better get going. Luke's waiting for you."   
  
She nodded and turned to go.   
  
"And if you change your mind, let me know. Chewie and I could use a good masseuse around."   
  
She didn't laugh, but she did turn back with a brilliant smile on her face and winked at him.   
  
Han shook his head and waved her off with his hand. She turned and jogged away, with a soft chuckle.   
  
Han moved back to his packing.   
  
No regrets. No worries. No guilt ... 

* * *

Luke wandered absentmindedly among the ships and the crews, moving out of the way as best he could when fast-paced technicians passed by, mumbling half-hearted apologies. He looked over in the direction of his ship—the ship they were letting him fly—but once again failed to pinpoint it in the crowds.   
  
He turned back to the _Millenium Falcon_, which he could see clearly even at this distance, and wondered what was taking Leia so long. He had been worried briefly that she might decide to leave with Han and Chewie, but quickly put the thought from his mind. Either way, she wouldn't go without saying goodbye first.   
  
Of course, part of him _wanted_ her to go, to know that with everything else going on she would survive. But a larger part was proud that she hadn't even brought up the possibility. It wasn't clear to him whether she was staying in protest against the Death Star, in support of the Rebellion, or simply as his sister. To be perfectly honest with himself, at the moment it didn't make a difference. She would be there to support him, regardless.   
  
Almost as though his thoughts had conjured her up, Leia suddenly appeared from a crowd of people nearby, somehow managing to look like she fit in completely.   
  
He smiled at her and walked to greet her.   
  
"You doing alright?" she asked.   
  
Luke shrugged and was about to answer, when the sound of his name being yelled interrupted him.   
  
"Luke!" the man's voice called again, and Luke half expected Han Solo to come running up to them. But it wasn't Han Solo's voice, it sounded more like...   
  
"Biggs!" Luke practically shrieked, barely getting a good look at his friend, before he was crushed in a bear-hug.   
  
As soon as they pulled back from the embrace, they both began pounding each other on the back and looking at each other in amazement.   
  
"What are you doing here, Luke? Last I saw you, you were gonna be stuck on the farm for another season at least!"   
  
Luke's smile faltered as his last vision of the homestead came to mind unbidden   
  
"It's a long story," he said. Then he looked again at his friend in amazement. Biggs was going to be up there with him!   
  
Biggs seemed to share his thought and squeezed his arm enthusiastically. "When you said you were going to make it here someday, I didn't think it would be so soon."   
  
"Me either," Luke agreed.   
  
"What ship did they..." Biggs trailed off, looking away from Luke for a moment. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"   
  
"What?" Luke asked, then realized where Biggs was looking. "Oh. Sorry." Luke motioned to Leia with his hand. "This is my ... um ..."   
  
It suddenly occurred to Luke that Leia might not want to be introduced as his sister, so he stopped mid-sentence and turned to her questioningly. Leia didn't even hesitate.   
  
"Cousin," she filled in smoothly, reaching out a hand to Biggs.   
  
Luke winced. Cousin was the wrong thing to say.   
  
"Cousin?" Biggs asked predictably. "I don't remember any cousins of yours our age."   
  
Luke cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Yeah, well, we just kind of met. Biggs Darklighter, this is Lainey Whitesun. They live in the Alder colony over on Tenian. I didn't even know they were there."   
  
Biggs didn't look entirely convinced, but shrugged his shoulders anyway. "Nice to meet you, Lainey," he said, as he shook her hand. "Good to know Luke's got some family off Tatooine that can look out for him."   
  
Leia smiled and nodded. "Yes, though I'm starting to think that it's a full time job."   
  
Biggs sniggered and raised his eyebrows at Luke. "Looks like she's got you pegged already, Luke!"   
  
"Yeah, thanks a lot, you two." Luke tried to look stricken, but he was actually relieved that Biggs seemed to like Leia. He would have to ask her later if he could let Biggs in on the secret when they got back. If they got back.   
  
"So, what ship have they got you in?" Biggs asked after a moment.   
  
Luke shrugged his shoulders, looking around. "I'm not sure, I think it's over there someplace." He gestured vaguely in the direction he thought it should be based on the numbers of the ships around them.   
  
But Biggs wasn't looking at him anymore, he had grabbed hold of a passing technician. "Hey, Dahp! Could you give us a hand here for a minute?"   
  
"Sure, Biggs. Is your ship alright?"   
  
"Just fine," Biggs answered. "My friend, Luke, here, was assigned a ship, I'm just wondering which one he got."   
  
Dahp pulled out a datapad and started punching in information. "Luke...?"   
  
"Skywalker," Biggs supplied, leaning over the tech's shoulder as the data showed up. When it did, he shrugged. "Not bad," he told Luke. "It's in good condition."   
  
"Thanks," Luke said, not sure if he should be too excited by 'not bad.'   
  
Biggs reached over to the pad and pointed at something. "Why don't you give him Mara's bird, instead?"   
  
Dahp's eyebrows rose in shock and he looked Luke up and down appraisingly. "Do you think he could handle it?"   
  
Biggs grinned broadly and slapped Luke on the shoulder. "Handle it? Luke's the best bush pilot in the outer-rim!"   
  
Dahp shook his head skeptically. "I don't know. An X-wing isn't quite the same as a skyhopper."   
  
"Hey, he's got less to unlearn," Biggs reasoned. "Besides, Mara will be fuming if she gets back and finds out that her bird missed out on the biggest victory the Alliance has ever had!"   
  
Dahp shifted his feet at this and looked somewhat uncomfortable, but nodded his head nonetheless. "I suppose that's true, Mara wouldn't have wanted us to go up without it." As Dahp paused, Luke noticed that he had spoken of this Mara woman in the past tense. He wondered what that meant. "Alright, kid, do you want to give it a try?"   
  
Biggs looked at him encouragingly and Luke nodded. "As long as it flies," he said with a grin.   
  
Biggs and Dahp laughed. "Oh, it flies, alright," Dahp said.   
  
"Then I'm in," Luke answered.   
  
"I'll send someone over to make sure there's an astromech in there..."   
  
"I've got an astromech by the other ship that I'd like to use, if it's all right."   
  
Dahp looked at him strangely for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't see what difference it makes, but I'll see what I can do. You know where it is Biggs, right?"   
  
Biggs nodded. "Don't worry, I'll get him over there."   
  
"Good, 'cause I've got to run. May the force be with you."   
  
"May the force be with you," Luke echoed, as the technician ran off.   
  
He turned slightly to find Leia looking at him critically.   
  
"What?" he asked, not really wanting to know.   
  
"Nothing," she said with a look that belied her words. "But I want to check out this ship before you go flying off in it."   
  
Luke turned back to Biggs in time to see his eyes widen, but he, thankfully, didn't say anything. Biggs was good that way, he had always treated Luke as an equal, not as a kid.   
  
Biggs held out hand, "It's over this way, near engineering. Mara had just finished adding a few things before she left and it hasn't been flown since then."   
  
Luke nodded and followed quickly next to Biggs. "So," he asked as nonchalantly as possible, "who's Mara?"   
  
He wasn't expecting the reaction he got. Biggs suddenly turned to him, a grin the size of the sarlacc across his face, his eyes twinkling with excitement.   
  
"Mara's the one who recruited me," he said. "I think I mentioned her the last time I was home."   
  
"Not by name," Luke said.   
  
Biggs shrugged. "I couldn't, you know." He put an arm around Luke's shoulders. "I can't wait for you to meet her, Luke. You're going to love her. She can go on for hours about ships; she's been working on them since she was a kid. And she's brilliant! I have no clue what she's talking about sometimes. When you see her ship, you'll know what I mean."   
  
Luke watched his friend with a grin. He remembered thinking on Tatooine that Biggs had mentioned the girl who had recruited him into the Rebellion a few more times than necessary. By now, it was fairly obvious that the man was head over heels.   
  
"Is she a friend of yours?" Luke asked, trying not to be obvious, but knowing that he had failed utterly when Leia nudged his arm.   
  
Biggs didn't seem to notice, however. "Yeah, she's a great kid. She reminds me a little of you sometimes, though I'm not sure why," Biggs added, a puzzled look crossing his face. "You two are nothing alike, except for the fact that you're both obsessed with flying. Maybe that's it."   
  
Luke twisted his lip in disappointment; it wasn't exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for. He tried again, this time with even less subtlety. "I'm sure she's prettier than I am too."   
  
Leia jabbed him harder this time, but he ignored her.   
  
Once again, though, Biggs was clueless. "Pretty? The girl's beautiful. You've never seen anything like her, Luke. She's got this long, gorgeous hair that's the color of ... I don't know, it reminds me of suns' set back home. And her eyes are this dark green that just..." Biggs motioned with his hands vaguely, as though they would explain everything about her eyes. "And her smile? She's always smiling or laughing at something. Makes you feel like a million credits when she smiles at you or laughs at something you said."   
  
They had stopped walking next to an X-wing that seemed to look about the same as the others. Luke looked at his friend in wonder. He had never seen Biggs like this. He usually seemed so mature and sophisticated, Luke was the one who got over-excited.   
  
"So, are you two ..." Luke trailed off, gesturing with his hands towards Biggs, whose eyes had suddenly gone wide.   
  
"Together? Me and Mara?" he asked, as though the idea had never occurred to him. "Oh, no. We're just friends. I mean," Biggs grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, "she's too young for anything like that, even if I wanted to ..." Biggs winked suddenly, "Ask me again in a year or two, when I wouldn't get arrested on half the habitable planets in the galaxy."   
  
Luke smiled and decided to drop the subject. Focusing instead on the ship beside them. At first glance it had just seemed like any other X-wing, but now that he was really paying attention...   
  
"It _looks_ different," he commented, tracing the lines of the ship with his eyes. There didn't seem to be as many bulges about as some of the other fighters.   
  
"Well, for one thing, it's lighter than most fighters," Biggs explained, coming back down from his high of a moment before. "There aren't any extra supplies of oxygen or fuel, just enough for a single mission. The other fighters have enough for at least a week in space, assuming they don't get into any conflicts."   
  
"So she never uses it to travel?"   
  
"No, I think she does. She'll hook up extra tanks when she needs to. But the lighter the ship is, the better it performs, especially in atmosphere."   
  
Luke ducked under the ship, suddenly noticing something else. "Three torpedoes?" he asked.   
  
"And the lighter the ship is, the more flexibility you have to add more weapons."   
  
Luke grinned, drinking in the sight of the ship. It really was something.   
  
"See what I meant when I said she's brilliant?"   
  
Luke nodded, not taking his eyes off of it.   
  
"It's nice," Leia said quietly, coming up beside him. "Very nice."   
  
"Hey, Luke," Biggs called out. "I think this is your astromech coming."   
  
Luke glanced out from under the fuselage to see a technician pulling up with a familiar looking R2 unit strapped into the back of the speeder.   
  
"You Skywalker?" the technician asked Biggs as he got out and began to unload Artoo.   
  
"That's me," Luke answered, as he moved to help.   
  
"You sure this is the droid you wanted?" the technician asked, skeptically.   
  
Luke chuckled, "I'm sure. We've been through a lot together."   
  
The technician shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, and rolled Artoo over to be lifted into the ship.   
  
Biggs reached out and held Luke's arm. "I need to be going, Luke. I've got to get back to my ship. The tech will secure you in and explain the basics. You'll be fine."   
  
"Thanks, Biggs."   
  
"And you've got to tell me that long story of yours when we get back, alright?"   
  
Luke nodded with a smile. Amazed at Biggs' apparent confidence.   
  
"It's going to be just like old times, Luke, you'll see." He raised his hand in the mockery of a salute they used to use as children. "We're a couple of shooting stars that can't be stopped!"   
  
Luke laughed and saluted back. They always used to say that before a race back home.   
  
Biggs waved at Leia and jogged off back to his own ship.   
  
"You all ready to get up there?" Luke heard the technician ask.   
  
He nodded without looking back, staring off after Biggs for a moments, before turning around. He glanced over at Leia.   
  
"I'm sorry," he apologized to the tech. "Could I just have a minute to say goodbye?"   
  
"Sure," the tech said, sympathetically. "Just make it quick."   
  
He walked over to Leia who was still scrutinizing the ship.   
  
"So do you approve?" he asked with a grin.   
  
Leia turned to face him and shrugged. "Were you going to wait for my approval?"   
  
"No," he admitted. "But I'd still like to know that I have it."   
  
"You do," she said with a nod.   
  
"Good," he said softly.   
  
They stared at each other for a moment, not knowing what to say. Luke moved close and took her hands in his. She gripped his hands tightly and closed her eyes. Luke closed his eyes as well, not knowing quite why he did it. Suddenly it felt as though their hands were getting warmer and Luke began to feel the same "filling" sensation that he had felt on the Death Star. It was as though Leia was leaving a part of herself inside of him that would always be there. He stretched out hesitantly for her through his mind and tried to leave a part of himself with her. When he opened his eyes, he wasn't sure if either of them had actually accomplished anything, but changed his mind when he saw a tear running down Leia's cheek. He released one of her hands to brush at the tear with his fingers and Leia smiled at him.   
  
"I'm glad I got to meet you, Leia," he whispered.   
  
"I'm glad I got to meet you, too, Luke," she answered, just as quietly. "Stay alive up there," she added.   
  
Luke nodded, then smiled. "I'll do my best."   
  
Reluctantly they let go of each other and stepped away. Luke started up the ladder to the cockpit and glanced down at her.   
  
"See you when I get back," he told her.   
  
Leia nodded, any trace of tears gone. "I'll see you then."   
  
Luke turned away quickly, not wanting to cry, and slid into the cockpit.   
  
"You all right in there?" the tech asked, climbing up beside him.   
  
"I suppose so," Luke answered. "Don't suppose you know how to fly this thing?"   
  
The tech raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "I know _how_ to fly it. Actually doing it is another story. The basics are the same," he said, pointing to the pilot controls and navigation. "You've got more control over the torpedoes than in most fighters; you can fire them individually ... if you want." He tone made it clear that he didn't know why anyone _would_ want to fire their torpedoes individually.   
  
Luke nodded, trying to take in all of the controls at once.   
  
"You can deploy the decoys with this," the technician said, indicating a brown switch on the base of the stick.   
  
"Decoys?" Luke asked.   
  
"Chaff mines. They'll confuse an enemy fighter about your position, and if a torpedo's coming at you, they'll sometimes detonate them early."   
  
"Won't they also confuse my wingman?"   
  
The technician grinned. "Yeah. So be careful when you use them."   
  
Luke swallowed hard. He had enough to worry about without throwing his wingman off.   
  
"Any other questions?" the tech asked as he reached behind Luke and pulled out a helmet, handing it to him.   
  
"They already gave me a helmet with my..."   
  
The tech interrupted him, pulling the other helmet out of his hands. "This one is designed specifically for this fighter. The regular pilot's got a smaller head than you, but she keeps her hair tucked up in there, so you should be alright."   
  
Luke's fingers traced the outline of the emblem painted onto the helmet.   
  
"A burning bird?" he asked, incredulously. What kind of a pilot would use _that_ as a symbol?   
  
But the technician only grinned as he secured Luke's restraints. "The pilot's last name was Phoenix," he explained. "Mara Phoenix."   
  
"Oh," Luke said, though he didn't understand. He'd never heard of a phoenix before.   
  
"Alright, looks like you're set. Just check the acceleration compensators, before you take off. Mara tends to keep them pretty low. Says she can _feel_ the ship better that way." The technician grinned. "She got a nasty bump on the head once because of it too."   
  
"Thanks," Luke said, suddenly unsure of whether he should risk taking this ship up. Biggs had sounded absolutely confident, but Biggs was in love. Not that Luke knew much about being in love, but he supposed that it might blind Biggs to any apparent suicidal tendencies in this Mara.   
  
"May the force be with you," the tech said as he patted Luke's helmet.   
  
The tech had already jumped clear by the time Luke thought to respond.   
  
The technician had already switched on the power, so as soon as the departing instructions came through over the comm, Luke lowered his canopy and turned the ship around slowly to face the hangar entrance. He glanced out through the canopy trying to find Leia and saw her standing a few paces off. Far enough away to be out of danger, close enough to watch him leave. He waved at her and thought he saw her wave back, before he had to begin rolling toward the exit.   
  
Luke sighed shakily, trying to calm his nerves. He steadily increased his speed as his turn to lift off came. A moment before he soared out of the temple that housed the base, he said softly, mostly to himself, "May the force be with you." 

* * *

A/N: Sorry that this was so long in getting up.  It was actually written already, but I just never got around to posting it.  Anyway, to answer a few questions and to clear a few things up:

1) Yoda is **not** dead – this happened the first time I posted this on the boards at TF.N, but I had changed the description, so I thought that it was clearer.  Guess not.  I suppose I'll have to go back and change it to a woman.  The Jedi Master I originally had in mind was Even Piell (sp?).  I wanted someone small.  Oh well.  I actually started thinking for a while if I could pull this off without Yoda, but the basic plot is too clear in my mind to redo it that way.  Sorry for the misunderstanding!

2) Jason – Thanks for the compliment, but I don't think that Lucasfilms takes submissions from unknowns.  Besides that would make this entirely their property—we want it for ourselves! ;)  Also, about the HTML: I usually create a Web Page document on my Word program and type it right in.  (Just watch out about the spacing sometimes it does weird things when it actually gets posted.)  I don't know if that helps at all, sorry!

Again, sorry it took so long—the next one will definitely be up soon!

-Lari


	14. The Battle

Part IV: Yavin IV

**Chapter 3 – The Battle**

It was surprisingly easy to get into the senator's room this time. The officer who had so adamantly refused to admit them just a few hours ago glanced over briefly when Leia walked in and then simply leaned back against the wall, turning to watch the holo projection that took up most of the room.   
  
The bluish image showed the general, Dodonna, explaining the tactical display to the senator, whose bed was positioned more as a chair. The senator nodded briefly, then asked a few questions about the attack sequence.   
  
Leia stood quietly to the side as the two older men spoke, trying to see if she could pick out the tiny spot of green light on the display that represented her brother. She felt a warm feeling of satisfaction and completeness fill her for a moment at the thought of Luke as her brother, but it was quickly replace with an extreme sense of worry. She tried to smother the fear and managed to reduce it to a small—though insistent—buzz at the back of her mind.   
  
"Leia."   
  
She turned, startled, at the quiet sound of her own name. The old senator was looking at her warmly and motioned her over. She hesitated, glancing back at the hologram, not wanting to miss anything, then moved over to the bed. She had come to speak with him in the first place, after all.   
  
"Sit, child," the senator said softly when she reached him, motioning to the only empty chair in the room.   
  
Leia pulled it over and sat—far enough away that it didn't feel uncomfortably intimate, close enough that they could speak in whispers. But to her surprise, the man said nothing, only turned away silently to watch the display.   
  
Shifting in the seat, Leia watched with him intently, though she could pick up far more from the audio pickup than she could from the visual display.   
  
"Luke is up there," she said, quietly, keeping her ears trained for the sound of Luke's voice.   
  
She sensed the senator nod. "I expected that he would be." The senator paused, then continued with a sadness in his voice. "He reminds me, in some ways, of your father."   
  
Leia turned to him, not daring to breath, hoping that he would continue to elaborate, feeling an unexpected need to hear as much as she could about her parents.   
  
"That was a long time ago," he finished, and Leia was almost sure that it was all she would get from him, but he began again a few moments later.   
  
"I didn't know him very well, you know," he said, his eyes focused on the hologram. "I met him only a few times. I dealt mostly with Obi-wan, or the council. They fought bravely, all of them." His dark eyes moved to her briefly, but Leia felt as though he couldn't see her at all—as though he was witnessing a thousand deaths race across his vision. He blinked and the moment was gone. He turned away again. "How could we have known?" he asked. "How could we even have suspected?"   
  
His head jerked up suddenly at the sound of a scream over the sound system. He shuddered and closed his eyes. Leia wondered how it could still affect him so intensely after all these years, after all these battles. It had practically no affect on her. The news about Alderaan—that, perhaps, had shaken her. But a single death? Of someone she'd never known, never seen? How could that still affect her?   
  
Then, suddenly, intellectually, she wondered at how it could not.   
  
The next second, Luke's voice crackled through the static, and her fists unconsciously clenched themselves.   
  
_"I'm going in,"_ he announced.   
  
_No, not yet, not yet,_ she thought, desperately. _Wait until we're gone. I don't want to hear your scream._   
  
A few moments later, it seemed as though her worst fears were materializing. She could hear Luke's friend, Biggs, yelling for him to pull out. Then there was silence for what felt like hours, and finally Luke's voice again, sounding only slightly shaken.   
  
She gasped, sucking in some much needed air, and glanced down distractedly at stinging sensation in her hands. To her shock, she realized that her nails had penetrated her skin, leaving four bloody marks on each palm. Her fingernails didn't even grow past her fingertips.   
  
"Are you alright?" the senator asked, worriedly.   
  
She nodded, looking back at the display, noting the count that ticked swiftly down. Down to their deaths.   
  
"Was Padmé our mother?" she asked suddenly, surprising herself with the question. What difference did it make now? But she wanted to know the truth. She was almost desperate to know before she died.   
  
The senator turned toward her sharply, confusion on his face. "Yes. Didn't you know? Didn't Obi-wan tell you?"   
  
She shook her head. Listening again as Luke voice shouted in triumph over the speaker, then was quickly silenced by the final yell of another pilot. The visual display suddenly flicked off, leaving the sounds of the battle as their only indication of what was happening.   
  
"He didn't have time, I don't think," she answered a moment later. She paused again, turning to face the old man. "Do I ... do I look like her? Like Padmé?" She found that she enjoyed saying the name. Enjoyed the sound of it.   
  
"Very much," the senator said, almost immediately. Then he tilted his head and studied her face. "In some ways," he amended slowly. "Your face, its shape, is more like Anakin. But your stature, your stance, your complexion, your eyes, and even your hair—they are so much like Padmé."   
  
Leia felt something clench in her chest. Her hair. She had wanted to cut it for some time now—it only got in the way—but her master had inexplicably forbidden it. An idea, a suspicion she had had since she'd first heard about her parents, began to become more certain in her mind. It explained so much.   
  
There was only one way to find out.   
  
"Did Darth Vader love my mother?"   
  
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she lifted her eyes to meet the senator's, trying to read the answer there. He held her gaze for a moment and looked slowly away, letting his head rest back against his pillow. He considered her question for a few moments before answering carefully.   
  
"_Anakin Skywalker_ loved your mother," he began, stressing each word. She wrinkled her brow, wondering why he felt the need to state this, as though only _one_ of the two men—her father and Vader—could have loved her mother. But she only nodded, waiting for him to continue. Finally, he did. "I don't think that Darth Vader is capable of love."   
  
Leia nodded in agreement; she supposed that was true. "But he did _think_ that he loved her."   
  
The senator shrugged. "Perhaps. In his twisted view of things. He certainly thought that he _owned_ her."   
  
Leia sighed, letting all of the pieces fall perfectly into place now. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi had not just been any Jedis to Darth Vader, they were the ones who had denied him the woman who was—in his mind—rightfully his. It explained the overwhelming hatred she had sensed from him during the duel with the Jedi.   
  
It also explained their strange bond, his uncharacteristic protectiveness of her, and why her master always seemed to send him after her when she was injured. She reminded Vader of Padmé, a weakness on his part, and her master always exploited weaknesses. Vader probably didn't even know her true identity; her master had likely hidden it from him. Otherwise, Vader would have viewed her as a symbol of Padmé's "betrayal." A symbol to be destroyed, not protected.   
  
_"Red five, where are you?"_   
  
The conversation and its revelations were quickly forgotten when Leia heard Luke's number called out.   
  
There was a frantic conversation between the pilots, when suddenly Biggs' voice broke in.   
  
_"There he is! Looks like a little fin damage, but he's alright."_   
  
Leia lowered her head to her hands and raked her fingers into her hair. Half of her wished that she couldn't hear everytime Luke plunged into danger, even against the advice of the other pilots, but the other half of her hung desperately onto each word, as though just her hearing his voice would somehow keep him alive.   
  
She closed her eyes tightly, willing thoughts of Luke's death away, as he confidently announced another risky chance he was going to take.   
  
As the sounds of the battle continued to stream in, she felt a sudden warmth at her back. Without having to lift her head, she realized that it was the senator's hand, resting gently between her shoulder blades.   
  
To her own surprise, she didn't shrug him off, didn't even flinch at the touch. Instead, she found herself leaning back slightly—increasing the pressure, the warmth—and trying not to cry. 

* * *

Red Leader's fighter exploded against the battle station's surface in a brief, but brilliant, ball of flame. The self-assurance and adrenaline that had motivated Luke's first flurry of successful attacks on the station, drained away almost completely as he watched. In their place was left a cool, almost detached, determination to finish this once and for all, or die trying.   
  
"Close it up, Wedge," he said, as he glanced out his canopy window at the other fighter. "Biggs, where are you?"   
  
_"Right behind you,"_ Biggs' familiar voice called back.   
  
Luke toggled the switch on the right side of his helmet and a ghostly view of the space behind his fighter immediately materialized on his visor. He took a moment to check Wedge's and Biggs' positions, before clearing his view and accelerating. He was glad that he had gotten used to that particular modification. The first time it had automatically kicked in—when a friendly fighter had gotten within shooting range—he had nearly killed himself trying to dodge what appeared to be a craft on collision course. With a bit of trial and error, he had figured out how to turn off the automatic setting.   
  
He glanced down at the controls, hoping they wouldn't give him any surprises down in the trench. At this point he knew what nearly all of them did, but... His eyes strayed over a tiny button set directly below a blank gauge. Wrinkling his brow he reached over to press it and almost laughed out loud, when a tiny hologram of Biggs appeared for a moment. After the holo dissipated, the gauge lit up. Luke rolled his eyes; it was just a chrono.   
  
After one last look over the instrument panel, Luke shook his head and gave up.   
  
_"Trust your feelings, Luke."_   
  
_Ben?_ Luke almost said out loud, but caught himself in time. It must have been his imagination.   
  
"Let's go in at full speed," he told Wedge and Biggs. "Never mind finding the trench and accelerating. Maybe that'll keep those fighters far enough behind us."   
  
He doubted it, but it was worth a try.   
  
_"We'll stay back to cover you, but at that speed will you be able to pull out in time?"_ Biggs asked, worriedly.   
  
Luke just smiled, feeling more confident than he had over the last few minutes, and pushed the fighter into a dive toward the station. "Are you kidding? It'll be just like Beggars Canyon back home!"   
  
They had a few moments of calm as they leveled their fighters out in the trench, but—as expected—three TIE fighters soon settled in behind them. Luke pulled back from the targeting visor long enough to get a good look at the fighters in his rear view, and immediately wished he hadn't. The two wingmen were regular TIEs, but he recognized the middle fighter as the one that had shot down Red Leader.   
  
He set his jaw and tried to get the thought out of his mind. As he reached for the targeting visor again, a somewhat nervous flutter went through his stomach. It was as though something was telling him to fire blind ... Blind, like he had been on the _Falcon_, with the blast shield over his eyes, feeling his saber move like an extension of his arm, sensing just where the remote would strike ...   
  
Luke shook his head and pulled the visor securely into place. It was no time for experiments; people were counting on him.   
  
A few moments later, the opening of the exhaust port clicked in line with the virtual target of his visor. Luke jerked his finger on the torpedo trigger and—without watching to see if the shots had hit—pulled up, yelling for Wedge and Biggs to do the same.   
  
_"Did they go in?"_ Wedge asked excitedly over the comm.   
  
Luke turned his head to look, but he knew somehow, before he even saw the harmless explosions to the side of the port, that it hadn't been a hit. "No, we'll have to make another run."   
  
_"It'll have to wait till after we lose our friends back there,"_ Biggs said tensely.   
  
"Right." Luke nodded, even though there was no one to see him. "Wedge, Biggs, split up—it's the only way we'll lose them."   
  
Luke dipped his fighter down and to the left. Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw the two other X-wings speed off in opposite directions. He focused on his flying, trying to keep his flight path erratic and unpredictable, but dared to take a moment to check his pursuers. He had seen all three TIEs follow after him when they first split up, but now there remained only one. The Leader.   
  
He felt his pulse quicken and wondered what it was about that fighter that made him so nervous. True, the pilot was clearly skilled—he had taken down Red Leader, after all—but there seemed to be something else that nipped at Luke's sense, telling him to avoid a confrontation at all costs.   
  
He didn't plan on a confrontation, of course, as he dove closer to the station—so close that the proximity alarms went off. He bit his lip, noticing for the first time that Mara Phoenix kept the sensor limits lower than they usually were. He didn't have as much room as he had thought. Seeing a large outcropping of towers and sensor poles to his right, Luke took off, weaving his way around and over the obstacles. The TIE continued to dog him, however, letting loose a barrage of laser fire designed to disable and crash the ship, rather than destroy it instantaneously.   
  
Luke swerved the ship hard to one side, but the TIE pilot seemed to anticipate his move, firing in that direction a moment before Luke actually got there. The fighter rocked slightly and Luke grasped the stick with a steadying hand and glanced out to his right. One of the wings had been hit, grazed really, but it was near an engine and started to spark dangerously. Luke punched a few commands into the computer and watched, relieved, as the fire was extinguished.   
  
"Artoo, see if you can lock down that panel there, I'm afraid it'll work loose again."   
  
The astromech beeped in reply and Luke had to grin at the comment that scrolled across his heads-up display.   
  
"I'm sure that you could have put out the fire yourself, but it was easier for me to do it from here."   
  
Artoo whistled back indignantly.   
  
"I'm sorry, next time I'll just stick to flying." Luke laughed, diving the ship into a trench, still trying to lose his pursuer.   
  
A moment later the TIE was gone.   
  
"Where'd he go?" he asked no one in particular, as he scanned the space around him. "Artoo, do you see him?"   
  
Artoo beeped a negative reply.   
  
"Alright, then," he decided hesitantly, still sure that the TIE would appear suddenly out of nowhere. "I guess we lost him."   
  
Luke switched on his comm. "Red group, this is Red Five. Are you clear?"   
  
_"I'm up here, Boss,"_ he heard Wedge's response immediately. _"But I don't see you."_   
  
Luke couldn't see Wedge either, but Artoo's sensors picked up his location, and Luke turned to join him.   
  
"I've got you, Red Two. I'm on my way. Red Three are _you_ clear?" Luke's stomach clenched when he got no response. How would he even know if something had happened? "Biggs, are you there?"   
  
_"I've... had some trouble,"_ Biggs responded immediately, to Luke's relief. _"I think I've lost him now."_   
  
Luke was about to give him the coordinates to join them, when Biggs voice came over the speaker again.   
  
_"Nope, he's still on me. Hang on, Luke, I'll be right there."_   
  
_You'd better be,_ Luke thought.   
  
He passed by Wedge's ship and Wedge fell in behind him. From their spot fairly far out above the station, Luke had expected to be able to see Biggs' ship, but there was no sign of him anywhere.   
  
"We're going in, Biggs—join up," he called out, anxiously. "Biggs, are you alright? Biggs!"   
  
The silence continued, deafeningly, over the comm.   
  
_"Wait a little longer, Boss. He'll show,"_ Wedge finally called.   
  
Luke nodded. Biggs would show. He _would_. Just give him a bit longer.   
  
Luke glanced down at his instrument board and toggled the switch for the chrono. He swallowed hard at the sight of the hologram, but when the chrono lit up, he made a decision.   
  
"We can't wait, Wedge. We've got to go now. I..." Luke paused, took a deep breath and continued. "I don't think he..."   
  
_"Hey, you guys,"_ Biggs' voice interrupted, much too cheerfully over the comm. _"What are you waiting for?"_   
  
Luke stared in shock as an X-wing materialized out of the far side of the station. "Biggs! I thought you were..."   
  
_"Hey!"_ Biggs interrupted, again. _"Don't ever give up on old Biggs."_   
  
Luke could almost see Biggs' wide grin and he chuckled softly to himself. "Biggs, remind me when we get back to kill you."   
  
Biggs laughed. _"Just you try it, Luke! Just you try!"_   
  
Luke shook his head, grinning, and led the other two fighters in a dive toward the station.   
  
"We're going in," he announced over the comm, trying to ignore the now familiar fluttering in his stomach.   
  
_"Let go, Luke."_   
  
Luke's hand almost froze over the controls. He fought hard to retain his concentration. _I did _not_ just hear that,_ he told himself.   
  
But the voice had been so clear, it had sounded so real... _Wishful thinking,_ he decided. _Just wishful thinking. Ignore it._   
  
As a barrage of laser bolts flew past his canopy, he found he was quite able to ignore anything and everything. Instead he concentrated on keeping up his speed, staying ahead of the TIEs he was sure would soon appear.   
  
Suddenly, alarms started ringing and a number of gauges went red.   
  
"Great," he mumbled as he tried to punch in commands and searches into the computer. Artoo's shrill shreaking stopped him short though.   
  
"Alright," he responded, defensively. "_You_ take care of it. I think it's that stabilizer again. Can you get it locked down again?"   
  
Artoo replied indignantly and Luke tried to put it out of his mind. Not easy to do considering that he didn't have complete control over his ship.   
  
To make matters worse, the cannon fire abruptly stopped. Which could only mean one thing...   
  
_"Here they come,"_ Wedge announced, unnecessarily, over the comm.   
  
Luke took a moment to look back at the pursuing TIEs, then focused back on the swiftly approaching exhaust port. He was vaguely aware of Biggs and Wedge doing some defensive maneuvering behind him, but all of his concentration went into that port with its tiny opening.   
  
He eyed the targeting visor to his right and willed himself to pull it forward. His hand moved out slowly, requiring his conscious attention to move those centimeters, as though a part of him was physically resisting.   
  
_"Hurry up, Luke,"_ Biggs voice broke in, sounding uncharacteristically tense.   
  
Luke reacted immediately, activating the computer and pulling the visor resolutely in front of his eyes.   
  
_"They're coming in faster this time,"_ Biggs continued, sounding far away. _"We can't hold them much..."_   
  
He was abruptly cut short.   
  
Luke stopped breathing for a moment. _Biggs?_   
  
_"We lost Biggs,"_ Wedge was yelling frantically into the comm.   
  
_No._   
  
A coldness washed through Luke, but instead of losing his concentration, he became acutely aware—almost uncomfortably so—of the steady rocking motion of the ship, the feel of the stick in his hands, the tiny target moving closer and closer. The sparks and splinters that had been Biggs' ship, had already disappeared against the sides of the station and the blackness of space.   
  
"We're just a couple of shooting stars, Biggs," he whispered softly to no one, to anyone, "and we'll never be stopped."   
  
They were going to win. They were going to blow this thing out of the sky...   
  
"Close it up, Wedge," he said abruptly. "Artoo, try to give me a little more power on our rear deflectors."   
  
He could have taken care of the deflectors himself, but at the moment he had more important things to worry about—like the exhaust port and the TIEs that were still on their tails.   
  
Luke looked away from the targeting visor, trying to cross paths with Wedge to confuse their pursuers, until he was close enough to get a shot. He wondered, briefly, if there was someway to fire backwards on this ship.   
  
There probably was, he decided, but he didn't have the time to figure it out.   
  
A sudden shout from Wedge caused him to jerk in his seat. "Are you all right?"   
  
_"I've got a bad malfunction, Luke. I don't think I can stay with you."_   
  
"Okay, Wedge, get clear. You can't do any more good back there anyway." He was surprised to find that he was somewhat relieved. Maybe Wedge would make it out alive...   
  
_"Sorry."_   
  
And Luke was alone.   
  
Alone with three TIE fighters slowly closing in.   
  
He looked desperately at the targeting controls. How was he going to concentrate on shooting and dodging their shots at the same time?   
  
Suddenly, a burst of light to his left alerted him to the fact that the trio was down by one. Without bothering to figure out what had gone suddenly right or even consciously comprehend what he was doing, he reached down swiftly to the stick and flicked the tiny brown switch at its base.   
  
Hundreds of metal decoys shot out behind him and the fighters behind him swerved frantically trying to shoot and dodge at the same time. The Leader started sinking dangerously, as though the pilot was asleep at the controls. A moment later a shot from an entirely different vector blasted close to the TIEs, causing them to scrap into each other. The wingman rushed at a trench wall, exploding before he even touched, while the Leader was knocked back up, spinning wildly into space.

Luke glanced up to see where the fire had come from and grinned widely at the sight that greeted him.   
  
_"You're all clear now, kid,"_ a familiar voice whooped from his speaker. _"Now blow this thing so we can go home!"_   
  
Luke settled back behind the visor—Han would not be pleased if after all that he missed, he thought with a smile.   
  
_"Luke…trust me."_   
  
Dazedly, Luke moved aside the visor and thumbed off the targeting computer. Immediately the nervous feeling in his stomach disappeared.   
  
This was right. This felt right.   
  
He was only somewhat aware of responding to a worried inquiry. Instead, his whole mind, his body felt as though it was merging with the ship, with the trench, with the target. He was barely conscious of the fact that he had fired, or of the wild screams and yells of excitement flooding his speakers as he pulled out of the trench.   
  
Barely two minutes later, he switched on his rear-view to watch as the mighty battle station behind him exploded into star-like brilliance.   
  
They had won. 

* * *

A/N: One more ch. after this, then the epilogue!


	15. Loyalty

Part IV: Yavin IV

**Chapter 4 - Loyalty**

Try as she might, Leia found that she couldn't see Luke over the mass of people crowding his ship. She had only been able to see him descending the ladder, then, Han had rushed over. He towered over enough people for her to catch a glimpse of him and, from his movements, she could tell that he was hugging someone.   
  
She wanted to rush to Luke, to hug him herself, but the dark, hazy feeling that had taken up residence in her chest for the past half-hour, prevented her from doing just that.   
  
Luke was not going to understand and he was not going to forgive her.   
  
A woman, standing a few paces away from her, suddenly let out a strangled cry and Leia barely managed to prevent herself from jumping in surprise. A moment later, a man appeared, pushing his way toward the woman, and swept her up into a passionate embrace. The embrace and the frantic kisses that followed lasted much longer than Leia expected them to and she eventually turned away, embarrassed by their lack of restraint.   
  
"I thought you were dead," she could hear the woman saying. "I saw the display and your ship…I thought you were dead," she repeated, sobbing.   
  
Leia shivered, unexpectedly, hearing her own thoughts in the woman's words. She had been so sure that Luke wouldn't make it. She had been so sure that _none_ of them would make it. But they had and it was because of Luke. He had saved them all. All of these people. She looked around at the expressions on people's faces. There was exuberance, there was mourning, there was relief, but most of all, there was victory.   
  
Against all odds, against the greatest military power the galaxy had ever known, they had done it. Her brother had done it.   
  
And here she stood: intrinsically and intimately connected to the very evil they were fighting.   
  
She looked down at her hands, clenching and unclenching themselves. Luke had held her hands. He knew who she was, _what_ she was—and he had held her hands.   
  
_I'm glad I got to meet you, Leia._   
  
And he had meant it.   
  
_"And how did you find Luke?"_ She heard the echo of an old man's voice in her mind.   
  
_"I sensed him in the force…He shines."_   
  
She wanted to stay with Luke, to see him shine that way just once more. She wanted it almost desperately.   
  
But the feeling in her chest wouldn't go away.   
  
She was leaving.   
  
She closed her eyes and loosened her hands. One stretched out in front of her, toward Luke, while the other crept its way over her sternum, trying to hold back the darkness.   
  
But the darkness wouldn't be held back. He was out there somewhere, alone and unconscious.   
  
She was leaving. She would find him, as he had always found her.   
  
The sound of a familiar laugh pierced its way through the darkness and Leia's eyes flew open.   
  
"Where is she? Do you see her?"   
  
She glanced in the direction of the voice.   
  
Luke.   
  
For a moment, she could see nothing, then a tousled head of hair appeared suddenly between two technicians nearby.   
  
"There she is!"   
  
Not surprisingly, she spotted Han first. He looked more comfortable and relaxed than she had ever seen him. Comfortable for once with himself, she decided, and with his conscience.   
  
She managed a smile for him, not wanting to take away too much from the part he had played in this victory, but found herself hard-pressed not to turn and flee when Luke finally came into view.   
  
Luke didn't seem to notice, however. He ran straight for her without hesitation and, to her shock, swept her up into a fierce hug, laughing giddily in her ear.   
  
Leia responded without thinking, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, holding on so tightly that she thought she might be choking him.   
  
A part of her marveled at the fact that this felt so natural. She couldn't remember _ever_ hugging another person like this—because she wanted to, not for a mission, not because she had to, but just because she wanted to do it.   
  
Too soon, he let her down. His smile seemed to stretch clear across his face and he glowed with exhilaration.   
  
_"He shines."_   
  
She found that she didn't have to fake the smile that came to her lips.   
  
"You were wonderful, Luke. Amazing," she told him.   
  
If possible, his smile grew. "Leia," he said, breathlessly, grasping her arms lightly. "It was unbelievable. I wish you could have felt it too."   
  
A chill seemed to run down her spine. "I did feel it," she whispered. "Some of it at least."   
  
And she had. In those final moments she had been practically bombarded with thoughts and emotions from the battle. At least _some_ of them had been from Luke.   
  
To her relief, Luke completely missed any subtle implications in her words and expression. His eyes widened in amazement.   
  
"You did? From so far away?" he asked, in disbelief.   
  
She only nodded, not trusting herself to say anything more.   
  
"Hey, boss! Not too bad shooting for a rookie," a voice shouted at them from nearby.   
  
Luke's head shot up and he laughed. "Wedge!" he cried.   
  
He dropped his hands from Leia's arms and took a step toward the other pilot.   
  
Leia let out a sigh, knowing that this might very well have to do as a goodbye. But he stopped suddenly and turned back to her. He leaned down, placed a quick kiss on the corner of her mouth and pulled away again with a grin.   
  
"I'll see you soon," he told her as he backed away.   
  
Leia swallowed hard, knowing he expected a response and not sure she could lie to him. "I'll see you," she said, finally, hoping, at least, that she would get to see him again someday.   
  
Luke seemed satisfied with this and ran over to the other man, who greeted him with a huge hug and a whoop.   
  
Leia watched silently as Luke was pulled off to be congratulated by person after person, until he finally disappeared from sight.   
  
"You're not sticking around are you?"   
  
She turned, with surprise, to see Han Solo, still standing beside her. She had completely forgotten that he was there.   
  
"What?" she asked, confused.   
  
Han nodded in the direction Luke had gone off. "That…all of that. You're splitting."   
  
Leia stared at him in amazement, wanting to know how he had figured it out from the brief conversation. But she had been planning on telling him, regardless, so instead of asking, she reached into one of her pockets and pulled out the tiny device she had prepared for him.   
  
"This is for you," she said simply, holding the device out to him.   
  
Han looked down at it with a strange expression on his face, but he made no move to take.   
  
"No deal," he said, shaking his head. "First you tell me what's going on."   
  
Leia hesitated, gripping the device more tightly between her fingers. "I can't."   
  
Han raised his eyebrows.   
  
"I _can't_," she repeated.   
  
"Give it your best shot," he responded, crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
Leia glanced down at the device again and, with a sigh, lowered her arm.   
  
"I would stay if I could," she began and stopped.   
  
"But…" Han prodded.   
  
She glared at him. "Do you think that I _want_ to leave Luke like this?"   
  
Han loosened one arm and pointed his finger at her face. "That's not what I asked."   
  
Leia tried to stare him down, but the finger in her face was distracting. "Fine," she said abruptly. "There's someone that survived, someone that I owe my life to a dozen times over. I'm going to get him."   
  
Han looked at her blankly for a moment, then she could almost see something click in his mind. "The TIE. The one tailing Luke…"   
  
Leia nodded.   
  
Han's brow wrinkled again in confusion and a bit of anger. "I'm sure that he'll manage to hook up with an Imperial base or planet, even in a TIE."   
  
Leia shook her head. "He can't, he's unconscious."   
  
This seemed to spark something. "How the hell could you know that?"   
  
"I…I just…" She struggled for a moment. "I just know, alright?"   
  
"No, it's not alright, Leia. You're leaving your brother to go back to the same people who created that…that monstrosity he just risked his life to blow up. And now what do you want?" He reached out and grabbed the device roughly out of her hand, turning it over in his fingers. "You want me to keep an eye on him for you? That's what this thing is, isn't it? Some sort of comm."   
  
Leia nodded, slightly, then looked away. She couldn't answer him. He was right, that was exactly what she was doing: betraying her brother.   
  
But even as she knew it was wrong, even as she convinced herself to stay, the faint sound of mechanical breathing seemed to echo through her mind. She could feel him, spiraling further and further away, being swallowed up by the blackness, the endlessness, of space…   
  
"Damn it all."   
  
The words were whispered, but they easily broke through Leia's thoughts.   
  
"What?" she asked.   
  
Han seemed to stare through her. "That TIE pilot… He _was_ unconscious. I remember noticing that he lost control—he dipped like he was dead or unconscious—before I shot his wingman, I didn't really think about it though. He must have run into one of those chaff mines Luke loosed on them." He shook his head. "Since when do X-wings have chaff mines," he mumbled to himself.   
  
"That sounds about right," she said, softly, remembering Luke's frantic feelings, overlapping with Vader's grim determination, which swiftly turned to confusion…and then nothing. The emotions from Vader had stopped, just before she sensed him spinning out and away from the station.   
  
It didn't really matter, though. It was done. She was leaving.   
  
Han may have sensed this, because he quit arguing with her and lifted the device up in front of her. "So, what did you want to tell me about this?"   
  
"I wanted you to keep an eye on Luke for me," she began and stopped abruptly, realizing that she was using the same words Han had used to accuse her moments earlier. She glanced up at him, but he just grinned with a glint in his eye. "If you need me," she continued, trying not to get frustrated by the smug expression on his face. "If you need me for anything at all… Find your nearest comm unit, disconnect the primary wire from the receiver link and slid it through here." She pointed out the tiny hole that ran from end to end horizontally inside the flat, translucent oval. "Then reconnect it. You won't be able to send more than a few words, but it's practically impossible to trace…in either direction."   
  
He raised his eyes from the device for a moment to look at her. She looked back, hoping that he would understand what she was trying to tell him—_I don't want to betray you._   
  
He held her gaze for a moment, then looked away. "What do I punch in for the address?"   
  
"Nothing," she said reaching into her pocket and pulling out an identical device. "This is the only possible receiver. I'll check it everyday, if possible. I can send messages to you as well, if you don't mind checking every few days."   
  
"And you just happened to be carrying these around in your pocket?"   
  
"No," she chuckled. "I snuck into the comm room as you were heading back here. Everyone had already cleared out."   
  
Han shook his head, but she thought she could detect some respect in his eyes. "Alright," he said pocketing the device. "But I can't promise that I'll stick around forever. I've still got a debt to pay off."   
  
"I know," she nodded, doubting that he would ever really leave. "But by then, if there's someone else you trust to look after him…pass it on. You don't have to tell them anything about me."   
  
He snorted. "I wouldn't have anything to tell." He paused and looked at her carefully before continuing. "Now, what do I tell Luke?"   
  
"You…you don't have to say anything. He won't know that I spoke to you."   
  
His eyes narrowed. "Don't you think he deserves _something_?"   
  
Leia stopped herself from cringing. She hesitated before responding. "Tell him what you want. If you think he can handle it, tell him the truth."   
  
"How about 'goodbye?'"   
  
Leia nodded. "Goodbye," she repeated, in agreement. "And tell him that I'm sorry. And that I…" She took a deep breath. "Tell him that I love him. If…if you think that's a good idea…"   
  
Han grinned at her. "I think it's a good idea."   
  
She smiled back at him, somehow bolstered by his approval.   
  
"Take care of yourself, Leia Skywalker."   
  
Leia caught her breath at the sound of her name, her true name. She wondered if she would ever hear it again.   
  
"I'll be fine," she said. "Take care of yourself…Han."   
  
Something flickered in his eyes and for a moment Leia thought he might hug her as Luke had. She wasn't sure whether she wanted him to. But the moment passed and he gave her a small salute instead, before turning and walking away without another word.   
  
She watched him go for a few moments, then pulled herself together. There was one more thing to take care of before she went.   
  
Leia Darkstar still had a mission to complete. 

* * *

A/N: Thanks to Pitdroid and, especially, Renee – faithful reviewers!


	16. Epilogue

A/N: Supercool Leia & Vader stuff coming up just for you, Silverhawk! ;)

**Epilogue:**

He had dreamt of her.   
  
Not as she had been toward the end: her eyes haunted and full of fear.   
  
(_Obi-wan. Obi-wan had made her fear him._)   
  
Nor even as she had been when she had first fallen in love with him: smiling and laughing, confused and unsure, but desperate to be with him.   
  
Instead he had dreamt of her as he had first known her: the beautiful young girl. The angel.   
  
He dreamt of how he had felt seeing her for the first time. Knowing, somehow, without knowing—the same way he always knew, instinctively, which wires to connect, which part to replace, in order to fix one of Watto's pieces of junk—knowing that all he had to do was to reach out to her, and she would give him the love, the compassion, the warmth and the security that he craved.   
  
(_Mother._)   
  
She would make him feel loved, complete, and he wouldn't need anything else.   
  
And in his dream, he had forgotten having her—having her love—and still needing more. Needing more power, more control.   
  
He had forgotten losing her.   
  
He had forgotten it all. In his dream she had been soft and clean and bright, while he had been coarse and dark and dirty. But she had still smiled at him and told him that it was nice to meet him. And he had wanted so badly to bring her home to his mother. Mother, who loved him. Mother, who always smiled.   
  
He had wanted it so badly that he wondered whether he had somehow summoned that sandstorm into being. Part of him truly believed that he could do it.   
   
He could do anything.   
  
He could even have the angel, if he was good enough.   
  
And then the dream had ended.   
  
He had awoken to her screams.   
  
At least, he had been sure that it was her, if only for the briefest of seconds—a flicker in time that was over before it began.   
  
She was gone.   
  
The screams were from the girl. And he could only hear them in his mind.   
  
_"She was given a mission that she failed to complete,"_ his master had explained, without being asked.   
  
Vader had not responded, only nodded his head. He did not bother worrying about his own punishment; his master had long ago perfected the art of torturing him without physical pain. Awaking to the sounds of her screams, to the feel of her pain, had been punishment alone.   
  
But worse perhaps, was the punishment he was being given now.   
  
He had not hesitated to comply. He had bowed and walked away, with his usual swift pace and long stride. And walking down the corridors now, he did not slow, did not push off the inevitable. When he reached the cell door, he did not brace himself before disengaging the locking mechanism.   
  
And when he saw the sight that greeted him, he did not allow his body to react. He didn't rip the braces that held her up from the wall, he didn't rush headlong back to the throne room to tear his master limb from limb.   
  
His body did not react.   
  
"Lady Darkstar," he said, and his voice was as deep and resonant as ever.   
  
She lifted her head slowly, but didn't stop when she could see him. She lifted her head until her chin was high and her eyes gazed directly at his.   
  
"You seem well," she commented abruptly, and he was surprised that she did not sound hoarse. He wondered whether she had screamed aloud at all.   
  
"The master informs me that I am in your debt," he responded, knowing that it was a lie. He was in no one's debt, not ever.   
  
She managed to shrug and her eyes flickered away for a moment. "You have done as much and more for me on numerous occasions, my Lord."   
  
"Yes," he agreed quickly. "The master is always concerned for your welfare."   
  
One corner of her mouth lifted and for a moment he thought she might chuckle. "The master is concerned about the welfare of all of his subjects, of course," she said instead.   
  
Vader did not respond right away. Something had changed about her, that much was clear. He had known that before he walked into the cell.   
  
_"She is hiding something from me, Lord Vader. Perhaps you might be able to persuade her to share her knowledge…"_   
  
It was why he had been sent to her in the first place.  Why his master thought that he would be successful when more conventional methods had failed, escaped him. Though, the fact that his master could not simply pluck the information from her mind was an interesting revelation, to say the least.   
  
"You were to have brought the master two droids," he said finally, hoping that discussion of her mission might trigger a reaction that would lead him to the truth.   
  
She said nothing, did not even nod. Yes, he decided, something was certainly different about her.   
  
"You returned with only a single droid."   
  
This time the only reaction was a movement of her eyes to a back corner of the cell. He turned to follow her gaze. There, sitting slumped against the wall, was a golden protocol droid, its eyes dark. He let his eyes rest on it for a moment, wondering once again the purpose of the mission if the droid was only going to sit in the cell with the girl. Surely there was some information that the master hoped to gain from it.   
  
When he turned back to the girl he found her watching him again, steadily. There was something in her eyes when she looked at him, something that had not been there before. Almost a challenge.   
  
"What happened to the astromech droid that you were ordered to bring back?"   
  
He didn't think that she would answer, not when she was still looking at him like that. But, even though her expression never wavered, she did answer.   
  
"The Rebels were keeping too close an eye on it. There was no way that I would have been able to get it without getting myself captured."   
  
"You could have waited until a more opportune…"   
  
"And you would have died, my Lord."   
  
The fact that she tempered her comment with the honorific, did nothing to lessen the impact of her interruption. In the many years that he had known her, she had never, to his memory, _ever_ interrupted him.   
  
And he knew, suddenly, what had changed.   
  
She had not feared him for some time, now. Not the way others feared him, at least. It was a failing on his part, he knew, a weakness, and it was one reason why he did not like being around her when his master was anywhere nearby. He knew that the old man would feed on his weakness. But she had always respected him. A respect that bordered on reverence.   
  
It was still there, he could sense it—a spark of admiration even as she cut him off. But she was no longer in awe of him   
  
"The pilot who destroyed the battle station was strong in the force," he said brusquely, not needing to feign displeasure this time, as he often did with her. The bitterness flowed sharply through him. He did nothing to stem it.   
  
She looked quickly away and he sensed a strong emotion rising to the surface within her, but she blocked it before he could identify it.   
  
"Yes," she whispered, still not meeting his gaze.   
  
"Who was he?"   
  
"A boy. Just a boy," she said softly, her eyes trained on the droid across from her.   
  
"His name," he pressed.   
  
And suddenly her eyes were on him again, the challenge burning in them strongly. And something else that he could not interpret, something cold.   
  
"His name is Luke Skywalker."   
  
He stared at her without seeing her, heard the mechanical sound of his own breathing, its rhythm steady, but was sure that every muscle, every organ in his body had gone still.   
  
Skywalker.   
  
A force strong boy named Luke Skywalker.   
  
The girl snapped back into focus before him. Her eyes were hard, but there was know something else in them. Something that Vader could interpret easily.   
  
Triumph.   
  
"What do you know of Skywalker?" he growled out, his voice echoing of the metal walls in the tiny cell.   
  
"He is Anakin Skywalker's son. Surely the master already told you."   
  
She was teasing him, mocking him. She knew very well that the old man had said nothing. She had hoped that she could tell him, she had been waiting from the moment he had stepped in to do so. She had _wanted_ to see his reaction.   
  
The anger burned and he could not channel it, he did not bother to try.   
  
He would kill her.   
  
It ripped out of him so suddenly that he nearly did kill her then. The force grip on her neck was almost strong enough to break it. He looked into her eyes. He wanted—needed—to see the fear there. He needed to see that she acknowledged his power, his control.   
  
He could do anything to her.   
  
And there was fear, fear of death, fear of pain, but no fear of him.   
  
She said nothing, _could_ say nothing, as he kept his grip tight. Her eyes watered and blinked slowly. The face of a boy, tanned with sun-bleached hair, appeared in his mind as he felt her slipping away. He thought she might die with that image, but the moment before it would have been too late for him to stop, the image faded and in its place he felt caring and concern. He looked into her eyes again and saw her looking right back at him.   
  
He released his grip.   
  
Her eyes rolled back and closed and she sagged against the braces, but she was still alive.   
  
He stared at her in disbelief.   
  
"You are a fool, child," he told her and even softened, he could hear his voice echoing back at him.   
  
She took a wheezing breath in and let it out shakily. She looked up at him with her eyes, but couldn't seem to raise her head. She was ashamed, she couldn't hide the emotion—she may not have tried.   
  
"You thought that he already knew," he continued.   
  
She looked at him in puzzlement.   
  
"The master," he allowed the word to sink in. "He knew nothing of the boy. If you had not been so eager to tell me, you might have kept him a secret."   
  
Something flashed in her eyes and a sob escaped her throat. Huge tears spilled over and coursed down her cheeks as the sob turned into a yell and then a scream. When her breath ran out, she screamed silently, but the tears continued, soaking her shirt.   
  
It was the only time he had ever seen her cry. He did nothing to stop her or comfort her, but he allowed his hatred for his master to climb as high as it ever had. Strength. He would destroy the old man. He would find his son and he would train him. Together they would destroy the old man.   
  
As for the girl, he would keep her alive, as long as she did not prove too great a distraction for his son. She clearly cared for the boy and somehow, on some level, she even cared for _him_, she cared for Darth Vader. He would not train her, there was no reason for her to know her true potential, but her feelings—though they weakened her—would make her loyal to them in a way that she had never been loyal to his master.   
  
Soon, very soon, he decided, as her tears finally ceased. Soon he would unleash his power and his strength on his master. Soon _he_ would be the master and his son—_his son_—would rule at his side.   
  
The girl panted softly, regaining her breath. He unlatched her braces with a wave of his hand and she nearly crumpled to the floor. She quickly righted herself and stood on unsteady feet before him.   
  
"Come," he said. "I will escort you to the master."   
  
She bowed her head and he could see that the challenge was gone from her eyes. He smiled secretly behind his mask.   
  
It would all be over very soon. 

The End 

* * *

A/N: Okay, that really is the end of _Dark Star_.  However, I do plan on writing a sequel.  (I even finally thought of a title today!)  I was planning on waiting till I had a bunch of it written before I started posting it, so that it would go more quickly once I started.  But if you guys want it sooner, I'll post it as I go along (just remember it'll go more slowly that way!).  Either way, let me know what you prefer.

**Gabrileia:** Yeah, you gotta love H/L moments, even with Leia Darkstar!

**Renee & Lanna:** Have no fear – the sequel definitely focuses on Mara Phoenix.  Me is _major_ L/M fan. J


End file.
